Lost on Planet G889
by Joan Powers
Summary: During their trek to New Pacifica, Eden Advance encounters a marooned space family. How do they account for the fact that they’ve each had such different experiences in their travels across the universe?
1. Chapter 1

Lost on Planet G889

by Joan Powers

An Earth 2/Lost in Space crossover.

**A/N:** I adore both of these shows so I couldn't resist. In many ways, Earth 2 was what I always wanted Lost in Space to be. Chapters will alternate POV, i.e. Chapter 1 Lost in Space, Chapter 2 Earth 2, etc… Characters from both shows will be featured. New chapters will be posted daily. For those needing background information about either show, I have information and photos for both shows posted on my LJ. PM me and I'll send you the links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

**Rating:** PG/K

**Genre:** scifi/drama

**Pairings:** All established couples, Don/Judy and Devon/Danziger angst

**Timeline:** Post series ending for both shows

**Summary:** During their trek to New Pacifica, Eden Advance encounters a marooned space family. How do they account for the fact that they've each had such different experiences in their travels across the universe?

**Chapter 1**

Tuesday August 2nd

Judy glanced up from the tending the hydroponic garden. Don was rushing out of the spaceship. Pleased to see him, she smiled, only to be greeted by an abrupt, "Have you seen Smith?"

So much for sharing a romantic moment. There had been far too few of those lately. And even when they'd managed to squeeze in a secluded interval, Dr. Smith's name crept up far too frequently. True, that man had once again managed to sabotage their mission, resulting in their crash landing on yet another unknown planet. It was frustrating. But dwelling on it didn't solve anything. Why didn't Don understand that?

Judy sighed. "No. What's he done now?" Not that she really wanted to hear about it. Her sympathy for the man was running short after so many incidents.

"He's supposed to be helping me load the Chariot with additional gear for the drill site."

"Drill site? You mean-"

"Yeah, we found a vein of deutronium ore a couple miles away. If I could just find Smith…" He pounded his fist into his palm.

Judy was impressed. They'd crash landed onto this planet two weeks ago and in that time the men had already initiated repairs on the Jupiter 2 and located a potential source of rocket fuel. Then again, after three years of being lost in space, they'd all become experts at 'pioneer resourcefulness'. Look at the dinners her mother routinely threw together from limited ingredients. Somehow she even managed to bake chocolate cakes. She, Penny and her mother had already identified several edible, indigenous plants. The thriving garden about her also attested to Judy's contributions.

"Great, just great," Don muttered as he stormed off.

Judy sighed again as she brushed a stray tendril of blonde hair away from her face. Some things never seemed to change. Who ever thought being marooned on so many deserted planets with the supposed man of your dreams would be so…dull.

Her expression altered as she focused on the surroundings. Of course, the all too familiar hydroponic garden, dining table and camp stools greeted her, along with the ever present force field generator nestled just outside of their space ship, the Jupiter 2.

Yet, this planet was somehow different from the others. So many alien worlds they'd visited consisted mainly of rocks and sand, along with dull, monochromatic color schemes. And the few worlds which had been more colorful featured hues so bold they almost seemed artificial. Most of the plant life had seemed equally unreal - stunted, stiff and unnatural compared with Earth specimens.

But this planet... Perhaps Smith's meddling which had brought about the crash had been a blessing in disguise. She breathed deeply, practically giddy with the sensation of such fresh air in her lungs. Over her years of space travel, only this planet reminded her so much of Earth.

They were in an arid region with sandy, rocky soil, presumably during the summer months with high temperatures during the day. Towering pines covered nearby hills. Adjoining rock formations varied in hue, with colorful wild flowers popping up through the cracks. Occasional bird songs filled the air.

Her younger sister, Penny, had befriended an odd biped creature. The brownish being stood about two feet tall with a leathery hide and an overly large head and eyes. Its 'hands' featured impressive elongated claws, yet thus far the creature seemed good natured and not inclined to use them. Debbie, the bloop, a chimp-like animal they'd picked up on Priplanus, hadn't been thrilled by the small interloper which had adopted her campsite. She stuck her tongue out and ran off whenever she encountered it. Instead of dressing the creature, newly dubbed Teena, in doll clothes, Penny enjoyed studying its mannerisms.

As always, foreign constellations littered the heavens. Hopefully Don or her father could get a bearing on their location, though for now, it was a moot point. This planet had a distinctive feature – twin moons, huddled together in the sky.

It should have been twice as romantic, Judy thought. Then she ruefully shook her head. Somehow there was never time for romance.

XXXX

"William!" Dr. Smith bellowed.

Laden with a heavy back pack which had the tip of a small shovel pointing out the top, Will labored to climb the narrow ledge leading up the hillside.

"We don't have all day. Don't dawdle."

The boy paused to catch his breath, wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm. "This is no where near the drill site, Dr. Smith. Dad and Don might need these tools."

"Nonsense. I'm sure your father and the Major have the situation under control."

"Shouldn't we be helping them? Not running off on some wild goose chase."

"Goose chase, indeed," Dr. Smith's voice was laced with disapproval. "I don't mean to alarm you, but it's always good to have back up. One never knows how much deutronium your father will be able to mine from that particular vein. Consider this an advance scouting mission."

"Okay. But why are we looking here?" They had hiked miles from camp and the terrain had grown progressively steeper and rockier.

"Call it intuition, my boy."

More to himself, Will sighed, "Oh brother."

"Come, come. We haven't got all day."

Will readjusted his pack and resumed climbing.

Dr. Smith wasn't about to explain his so-called insight. When he'd seen a flash of light across the horizon last night, he'd picked up the binoculars and, with the Robot's assistance, traced it roughly to this vicinity. In his mind, it could only mean one thing. A fallen meteor. That meant precious metals or gems. A valuable bargaining tool in any economy. Even the vilest of aliens understood their value. One never knew what beings they might encounter on this planet. It paid to be prepared.

"I hope your father finds plenty of deutronium so we can lift off from this dismal place as soon as possible," Dr. Smith lamented.

"It seems pretty nice to me."

"Stranded in the middle of nowhere? I think not. As a highly intelligent being, I require more civilized amenities. Crêpe Suzette, caviar, champagne…"

Will chuckled. As always, Dr. Smith was predictable. "I don't know. In some ways, it reminds me of home. I like it." When he wasn't burdened with such a heavy pack, he was enjoying hiking and exploring the terrain, with its varied rock formations. He'd collected lots of interesting specimens. The abundance of plant life also fascinated him. He'd even gone fishing in the nearby stream, catching enough fish to supply supper for several nights.

They paused, reaching the summit.

Dr. Smith scanned about with obvious disappointment. According to the Robot's calculations, the light had originated from this area. All he saw was more of the same – rocks, sparse clumps of grass, some tall pines. Had that tin plated ninny made an error in his calculations? There was no sign of his precious meteor.

"What's going on?" Will asked.

Then Dr. Smith noticed the opening of a cave. Small, dark spaces had never appealed to him. Yet even if that bubble headed booby had messed things up, after such an arduous climb, Will could investigate while he rested. After all, a man of his age wasn't accustomed to such exertion.

"After you," Dr. Smith gestured to the opening.

Will reminded him. "There's not going to be any deutronium inside there."

"You of little faith. Must I remind you that serendipity doesn't always make sense?"

"Huh?"

"Step forward, young man."

Will didn't move. "You're the one with the 'intuition'."

The boy was becoming less pliable as he matured. Smith began to snivel, "But…my agoraphobia, my poor back…"

Recognizing the familiar litany, Will bent to enter the cave. Looking back over his shoulder, he asked, "Did you bring a flash light?"

"Can't say that I did."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" He stepped inside as Dr. Smith sank onto a rock.

"Oh the pain, the pain." He rubbed the small of his back.

A moment later, the boy's voice carried back. "Wow. What's this?"

Curiosity piqued, Dr. Smith cautiously followed. The cavern chamber was filled with an eerie orange light emitting from some similarly colored rocks, clustered within a wall.

"They seem to be…vibrating. Almost as if they're alive." Will studied the glowing orange rocks with interest. "Do you suppose they're a life form on this planet?"

"Fascinating, William." Dr. Smith deadpanned. Who really cared? They wouldn't be a form of life that could help him and that's all that mattered. What a waste. Still, perhaps those rocks had some unusual properties that could be beneficial.

"Be careful," Will warned as Dr. Smith grasped a stone.

"Ouch! That's hot." He nursed his singed palm. "I've never seen anything like it." That would certainly make it a valuable commodity for some one.

Will was also intrigued. "I wonder what makes them glow. The vibrating could almost be a language that they're speaking to each other. I'd like to get a sample to take back to the ship and study."

He knelt to open his pack, then dug around for some tools. He also removed a silver bag.

"This insulated sack ought to hold them all right." Will began to dig with his pick, to loosen a sample. Minutes later, he placed the glowing rock in the bag and started to cinch it.

"Certainly you're going to take more than that." Dr. Smith added, "They might be useful."

Will proceeded to use his pick to loosen a few more of the glowing orange rocks and place them in the bag as well.

As Will worked, Dr. Smith spoke rather solemnly to the rocks, embedded in the cavern wall, "I dub thee…" He needed a suitable name. One with appropriate grandeur. Cosmonium immediately came to mind. Yet that brought back bad memories of his work of art come to life, attacking him and ultimately being destroyed. "I dub thee… Luna Light. No…Lunite."

Will stifled a chuckle as he stowed the bag in his pack.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound filled the cavern and several tall almost skeletal creatures erupted from the walls surrounding them. Yet those walls didn't collapse, somehow the earth colored creatures had managed to pass right through them. They carried primitive looking staffs. Strange sounds filled the air.

"Dididididi"

It was so distorted, it sounded as if the creatures were speaking underwater. Their speech was unintelligible.

"William!" Dr. Smith shrieked in horror as the aliens stepped towards them. "Run!"

"Shouldn't we figure out what they want?" the boy asked, while hastily closing his backpack.

"Run!"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

(Alonzo Solace)

_We are the Eden Project. Two hundred forty eight days ago we crashed onto this planet. Now we continue our journey, traveling across this vast continent towards New Pacifica, the rendezvous site for our approaching colony ship. Each day is similar to the one before it. We walk, we make camp, and then we sleep. Only to wake up the next morning to repeat the cycle._

_Life on this planet is hard. It continually challenges us. Just when we think we've mastered survival skills, it throws us another loop._ _Between the hot weather, limited water rations and dwindling food supplies, tempers were short. _

_Some, like Walman, volunteered for this scouting trip just to get away from the others and break up the monotony of the routine. Danziger was equally anxious to move ahead to locate a mountain pass, though I suspect his primary motive was far more personal. As for Morgan, who knows why he tagged along. If he was in the dog house with his wife, Bess, the entire camp would've known about it. _

_As for me, I'm just a restless spirit. I can't stay still too long. I only wanted to stretch my legs. _

_Danziger and Morgan can be a volatile combination. From the very start, I suspected that this might be an eventful trip._

Day 248

Alonzo lowered the jumpers and then raised them, once again, to ensure that he wasn't imagining things.

"What is it, 'Lonz? Any signs of a pass? Or water?" Danziger asked. As the terrain became more rugged, it only re-emphasized the need to find safe passage for their vehicles to travel through the approaching mountains.

"No." He readjusted the instrument. "It looks like a space ship. But I don't recognize the design."

"What?" Morgan Martin's eyes grew wide and he dropped the cup he was holding, water splashing out.

"Morgan! We're rationing water!" Walman irritably reminded him.

"A ship? Could that mean a Council ship?" Morgan stammered.

The governing body of the space stations, the Council, had already attempted to sabotage their mission in many elaborate ways including bombs, undercover agents, and insidious biostat chips planted inside their heads, unbeknownst to them. Despite being twenty two light years away, they were a powerful group who still influenced events, even on Planet G889.

"I don't think so. This looks old. Really old. It almost doesn't look like one of ours."

"Aliens?" Morgan gasped.

Alonzo laughed. "You've been playing too many VR simulations, Morgan. I've flown all over the galaxy. Other than the native inhabitants of G889, the only sentient beings I've ever encountered have come from the same place that we did." More to himself he added, "Still, it is strange."

"There's always a first." Morgan's hands shook nervously. As he noticed, he clamped one hand over the other to stop the motion.

Alonzo rolled his eyes towards Danziger, who grinned in response. Morgan Martin, their resident government liaison, was always blowing something out of proportion.

Danziger borrowed the jumpers to take a look for himself. With some trepidation, he added, "It does remind me of Franklin and Elizabeth's ship."

They had encountered the grounded Council ship only a few months before. A shudder passed through him. He hated to think about that place and all that had transpired there.

"No. I remember when those babies came out and I can tell you, this one isn't the same." Having participated in multiple cold sleep runs, Alonzo was considerably older than his youthful appearance belied.

Danziger took charge. "We need to investigate. Could be a security risk." He clamped Morgan on the back a little harder than was necessary as the men walked towards the Dunerail. "Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What is it?" Walman stared at the odd vehicle. Instead of wheels, the unit had treads resembling an old fashioned tank. The top portion was encased in a thick transparent material. The seats inside appeared suitable for human occupancy. A bubble opening rested on top, which could possibly serve as a gun port.

"I've never seen anything like it," Alonzo added.

Danziger was getting spooked. His time on G889 had shown him that things could go really wrong, really fast. Even colorful spring flowers had proven to be deadly here. He drew his Magpro closer to him.

Keeping his voice low, he advised, "Let's see what we can find out. Alonzo, you and Walman go to the left of the vehicle, on the other side of the clearing. Morgan and I will check out this side. Keep your weapons handy and your gear on. Avoid making contact until we can learn more about the situation."

Alonzo and Walman nodded in agreement and set off.

Morgan squeaked a meager protest which was ignored. The thin man hid behind Danziger's bulk, which suited John just fine. As much as he despised Morgan, keeping him close by his side might ensure that man didn't mess things up. The two men crept towards the clearing.

Once they passed the vehicle, Morgan gasped and pointed.

Danziger's eyes widened. Two men and a gorgeous blonde woman were standing about a tall tripod. Some sort of energy beam emanated from it, directed towards the ground. In some ways, he was relieved their visitors appeared to be human yet other aspects about this scene confused him.

Something wasn't quite right. The strange vehicle. The tripod device. Danziger was an expert mechanic who knew how to jerry rig most anything. He'd had experience rebuilding mining equipment as well as building and repairing space ships and space habitations. He had no knowledge of the equipment being used here. And the people…

"Warning! Warning! Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" a loud mechanical voice boomed.

The two men froze, with Danziger clutching the Magpro more tightly.

Once again, John Danziger had never seen such a unit. Presumably it was a mechanized work robot. The unit stood almost six feet tall, constructed mostly of a silver metal. Its body form didn't mimic humans, rather it was composed of a cylindrical unit. When it had spoken, a light flashed behind a bubble-like chest panel. A smaller clear bubble comprised the head. Extendable red claws served as the hands, while treads similar to the vehicle allowed the robot to walk about.

Rather than panicking or grabbing a weapon, the taller of the two men walked directly towards Danziger and Morgan. "Hello." He extended his hand. "I'm John Robinson."

Startled, Danziger straightened to his full and formidable height to meet the man's gaze. "Danziger. John Danziger." With some reluctance, he took the man's hand to shake it.

"Let me introduce you to the others," John Robinson gestured amiably towards the man and woman gathered about the tripod.

This guy was even more trusting than Adair, Danziger thought. Normally, he'd play it safe and keep the other half of his party concealed. Yet no weapons had been drawn even though John Robinson had some sort of gun in his holster. Danziger wanted to keep things friendly. Besides, their robot had probably detected the rest of the group anyway. He called to them. "Come on over, 'Lonz."

Alonzo and Walman stepped towards the group from the other side of the clearing. "That's Alonzo Solace and Mark Walman." The two men nodded as they approached. As an after thought, he added, "And this is Morgan Martin."

John Robinson smiled warmly. "This is our pilot, Major West. And my daughter Judy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Judy." Walman edged closer, having trouble taking his eyes off of her.

Danziger noticed the younger man introduced as Major West, didn't care for that.

Alonzo also seemed to fall under her spell. "You don't normally run into such a beautiful woman under such circumstances."

Judy blushed charmingly as Major West objected.

"Now, wait a minute."

Yep, the Major was definitely starting to squirm. Danziger chuckled to himself. Why did love turn men into complete saps? He could understand Walman making an ass of himself. He'd been alone for too long. But what was with 'Lonz? His steady, their doctor, was one of the most beautiful and highly intelligent women in their camp. They had a good thing going. Then again, the youthful looking dark haired pilot had always been partial to the ladies. It must be hard to turn that type of response off; for him it must be more of an innate reflex. Thank goodness poor Julia wasn't here.

Judy was a stunning young woman. Slim with long blonde hair, and a heart shaped face with a well proportioned figure and sparkling blue eyes. The fact that she was wearing such an odd outfit – a purple mini-dress with a bright yellow tunic along with slim lavender boots, only seemed to enhance her beauty.

Most of the members of Eden Advance hadn't been able to bathe for days due to water restrictions. The majority of their clothes had been salvaged from cargo stores. Sometimes things fit, sometimes they didn't. Even his favorite print shirt he was currently wearing was starting to fade. They all made due as best they could. In contrast, Judy was…so clean. They all were.

The two men ignored the Major's hot glare.

"And this is our environmental control robot," John Robinson added.

Danziger nodded, wondering why the automated unit was being formally introduced.

"It's a pleasure," the robot responded.

"So, how long have you been on this planet?" Walman's eyes stayed fixed upon Judy yet her father chose to answer his question.

"About two weeks. We crashed…due to some unfortunate events," John ruefully looked towards Major West whose features grew even tenser. "How about yourselves?"

Uncharacteristically, Danziger felt drawn to this man. Something about him exuded honesty. He wanted to believe the man was as forth right as he seemed. Yet, Danziger's skeptical nature held fast.

"We're here to colonize this planet. Or at least, some of us are." Danziger tried to catch Alonzo's eye but he was too busy showering compliments on Judy. The poor girl's cheeks flamed crimson.

"Where are you from?" Robinson asked.

"Space Stations."

"I'm not familiar with them."

"Wha-" As Morgan started to comment, Danziger shot him a warning glance to shut his mouth. Didn't he understand that information was power?

"What about you? Where are you from? What's your mission?" Danziger asked, more intently.

"We're from a planet called Earth. In many respects our mission is the same as yours, colonizing a new planet. We're bound for the Alpha Centauri system once we complete our repairs to the Jupiter 2 and refine sufficient fuel," John Robinson explained.

Earth? It wasn't possible. How could he be from Earth and not be aware of the Space Stations? It couldn't be. Yet the man seemed completely sincere.

"What type of fuel does your ship use?" Danziger probed.

"Deutronuim."

He wondered if he'd heard him properly. "Do you mean deuterium?" That would imply a fusion driven reaction.

"No, deutronium. We mine the ore then process it." He gestured to the tripod.

Before Danziger could continue, Alonzo's voice intruded.

"What's your secret? How do you manage to look so lovely?"

Judy giggled while Walman grinned.

"John," The Major spoke through clenched teeth. Steam was practically coming out of the poor man's ears.

"Simmer down Don. It's been a while since we've encountered others." Turning to Danziger he asked, "Why don't you join us for dinner? My wife is an excellent cook and we'd love the company."

The Major's hot stare indicated his displeasure with the plan but clearly John Robinson was in charge.

"It's a tempting offer but we've got others back at our base camp depending upon us to find some water soon."

Walman and Alonzo started to protest, when John Robinson volunteered, "Why didn't you say so? There's a stream with drinkable water only a few miles west."

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God. Now if we could just find some food."

Danziger grimaced. Leave it to Morgan Martin to reveal more of their weaknesses to complete strangers.

"The pond is filled with fish," John explained.

"Fish?" Morgan said with disdain.

"Yes, they're delicious. We've eaten them for supper several nights now."

Danziger couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Most of the fish on Earth had ingested so many pollutants that they were a bio hazard. No one in his right mind would go near them, more or less consider eating them.

Judy insisted, "You must come to dinner and try them. Maybe Mother can even bake a cake." Turning to Walman, she coyly volunteered, "I can show you where the stream is."

Seeming to retain his bearings, Alonzo responded, "That would be wonderful." To Danziger, he added, "Think we could fill some tanks and bring them back to the others?"

"I'll consult with our base camp. See how urgent the water situation is."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Devon Adair's image appeared in John Danziger's gear eye piece. Her shoulder length auburn hair lacked its typical shine, most likely due to their water restrictions. Still, her gaze wasn't as firm as he was accustomed to seeing. She turned her head to the side, coughing.

"Adair, you'd better be resting up," Danziger sternly advised. Every time Devon coughed, he worried that she was suffering from the effects of Cold Sleep Syndrome.

During her sudden, bizarre illness, they'd stored her in a cold sleep chamber on the Council ship they'd discovered. It had slowed her metabolic rate, buying Dr. Heller valuable time to determine a diagnosis and devise a cure. Eventually Devon had been revived and successfully treated, yet she wasn't fully restored. Cold Sleep Syndrome, a gradual destruction of the respiratory pathways, had been an unwanted side effect of the early technology. It had eventually killed Elizabeth and Franklin plus several other Council scientists, who had also inhabited those freezing tubes.

Devon didn't take kindly to being told what to do. "I'm fine."

"Yeah? Well, you don't look so hot." That wasn't going to earn him any brownie points but it was the truth. He'd never had a reputation for sugar coating the facts. "Have you been taking the meds Julia synthesized for you?"

"Why? I'm not sick. Besides, I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Adair," he growled. It irked him that she couldn't see she was still straddling a thin line between health and illness. One stupid move and she'd be out of commission again. He had no desire to go through that again.

She ignored his concerns, getting back to the subject at hand. "A family with their own space ship? That sounds odd. Be careful Danziger. Do you think it could be a Council trick? Could they be spies trying to get information from us about the Terrians?"

"I don't think so. But something's off. The Robinsons seem sincere but things aren't adding up. I've never heard of the deutronium fuel which they were mining. Or even their mining technology. I've never seen anything like their vehicle or their robot."

"Couldn't it just be older technology?"

His shoulders stiffened as she coughed more deeply.

"Yeah, but even 'Lonz didn't recognize it. That Council ship was almost a hundred years old but its technology was based on principles similar to ours."

"C'mon Danziger. I know you," her image grinned. "You don't trust anyone."

He held back a sharp retort. He was cautious. He knew that. He'd been burned too many times. "Yeah, I protect what's mine."

"Couldn't this feeling just be your paranoia?"

"Adair, they didn't recognize the Stations," he insisted.

"What?" she gasped.

"They claimed to be colonists. _From Earth_."

It was rare for Devon Adair to be speechless.

After a moment's consideration, she responded, "Send part of the team back in the morning with as much water as you can. Go ahead and take up the Robinsons on their offer for dinner and the extra containers. If you and Alonzo camp out there, there will be room to bring more water to the group tomorrow.

Find out as much as you can about the Robinsons and contact me with details. I'll have Yale search his files for any information about them or their ship, the Jupiter 2."

And Danziger, be careful. It's probably best not to challenge their unusual ideas until we figure out what's going on."

He sighed, annoyed. "Of course." He'd already figured that out.

"Be sure to emphasize that to Alonzo, Morgan and Walman. If it's some type of group delusion or hypnosis, they could become upset or even violent if their version of reality is challenged. I'll get Julia's insight on that as well.

"We'll start moving camp in the morning and catch up to you in a few days. We can recharge near the water source while we figure out what's going on." Her image disappeared.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - **For those unfamiliar with Earth 2 or Lost in Space, I've provided background information, lists of characters, and photos for both shows on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to send you the links.

**Chapter 3 **

Tuesday August 2nd

"What about the Keeper?" Penny excitedly reminded Will. The Robinson family, along with Don, Dr. Smith and their four guests, remained seated about their outdoor dining table, even though the meal had been finished more than an hour ago.

"Who could forget him? He had this amazing collection of exotic animals. They were really neat! But he wanted to add Penny and I to his collection. He had this staff which some how hypnotically drew us to him. It worked on Dr. Smith too," Will smirked at that memory.

"It most certainly did not." Dr. Smith tried to flatly deny it but the Robinson's good natured chuckles, along with the Robot's loud guffaw, indicated that he wasn't fooling anyone. Trying to shift the focus of the conversation he mentioned, "What about that unusual fellow, Mr. Zumdish?"

"The Celestial Department Store," John Robinson rolled his eyes. He explained to the men, "Doctor Smith accidently ordered an android from a remote unit. He couldn't pay for her, so Zumdish and his goons came to collect. That was an interesting experience."

John Robinson studied their guests seated around the table. They'd been friendly and talkative until the conversation had turned to describing their alien encounters while traveling in outer space. Suddenly, they were reserved, making few comments. The thin man called Morgan Martin, who sported a long dark pony tail, deliberately hid his expressions, often covering his mouth with his palm.

"So most of the aliens you've run into on your travels have been human?" The tall curly headed blonde named Danziger asked.

"Humanoid," the Robot corrected. "Resembling humans, but anatomically not the same."

"That's right, "John Robinson agreed. "Though, we've encountered plenty of other types of life forms as well."

"Like those creatures in the colony ship when the Jupiter first went out of control right after we launched," Will eagerly volunteered.

"Good heavens, those slimy bubble-like things? Must we go on about them?" Dr. Smith objected, making a face.

Perking up for the first time that evening, Don teased, "As I recall Dr. Smith, their Galaxy Tribunal of Justice almost locked you away in intergalactic prison."

The Major had spent most of the evening sulking while Judy had been showered with attention from Walman and Alonzo, who flanked her at the table.

"Must you remind me."

"What about the alien from the beauty contest? He was made of fire and the planet he came from had a methane atmosphere," Penny explained.

"Beauty contest?" Alonzo perked up, turning to Judy.

"Is there something you haven't told us?" Walman added.

Her blush deepening, Judy protested, "It wasn't much, really."

"I don't know, being declared "Miss Galaxy" seemed like an honor to me." Penny added. "You looked so beautiful in that dress with your hair arranged all fancy."

"You won, of course," Walman stated.

"But the winner had to go away with the flame alien and live on his planet. Judy couldn't survive there but they didn't seem to care about that. Don saved her before they could take her away," Penny relayed with pride.

"Come now," John Robinson prompted, curiosity getting the better of him, "You've been listening to our stories for a while now. You must have similar adventures to share. You're space travelers too."

Earlier during their meal, the men had shared that Alonzo was a pilot and Danziger and Walman had done Ops work on space ships.

He noticed the men looking cautiously towards Danziger, whom he suspected was their leader. John Robinson believed that they were concealing something but he wasn't sure what. Or why. The Robot had privately confirmed they were fully human, so he wasn't concerned in that respect.

Perhaps they'd had some rough experiences which were difficult to talk about. Earlier John Danziger had spoken of his daughter True, who was near Penny's age, yet he hadn't mentioned his wife. If she had been killed during such an encounter, it might account for their reticence.

After a moment, Danziger responded, "Most of our 'alien' encounters have been with the beings on this planet."

"Like Grendlers," Morgan spoke with disgust.

Walman directed his comments to Judy, "Huge, hulking, mangy creatures. Drooling constantly. They'll steal anything they can get their hands on. Be careful with your drilling gear. They're strong and they'll walk right off with it."

"They looted our cargo pods," Alonzo added. "Even took a VTO aircraft. That's why we're stuck essentially walking across this continent to reach the rendezvous point in New Pacifica."

"And then there's the Terrians," Morgan reminded them.

"Those Diggers," Walman said derisively, shaking his head.

"Have you had unpleasant interactions with them?" John Robinson asked.

Morgan answered, "It's hard to explain. We just don't speak the same language."

"Now that's interesting," Maureen Robinson, the red haired matriarch said. "During most of our encounters with aliens, we've found that the concepts of family and love are universal."

Morgan sputtered, laughing, "Well…not necessarily for the Terrians."

"What are these Terrians like?" Will asked rather intently. He wondered if those were the beings he and Dr. Smith had a run in with earlier in the cave.

The men looked towards Alonzo. He grinned, "I'm sort of the resident expert."

"He's the only one who can talk to the Diggers. He does it in his dreams," Walman explained.

"How unusual," commented John Robinson.

"What are they like?" Penny asked.

"I guess you could say they were humanoid – in some manners resembling humans in form but definitely not human otherwise. They have some sort of bond with this planet. They can easily travel through the ground. If the ground is damaged, it hurts the Terrians as well," Alonzo explained.

Will wondered. "Are they friendly?"

"They can be. They've helped us out. They healed a young boy in our group. I told you earlier that many children at the Stations have been afflicted with a disease called The Syndrome. We still don't understand how or why the Terrians did it. But it's easy to cross them without even realizing you've done it. Be careful if you come across them," Danziger advised.

John Robinson rose. "It's getting late, but would you like a tour of our ship, the Jupiter 2?"

"Sure," Danziger enthusiastically responded, standing up as well.

As others began to rise, Walman boldly asked Judy, "Perhaps you'd like to go for a walk?"

After a brief hesitation, Judy answered, "I'd love to."

"John, you're not gonna let Judy just walk off with this guy? We barely know him," Don objected.

"Don!" Judy warned, embarrassed by his behavior.

John Robinson was fully aware of the rising tension in the young pilot. As much as he liked Don and considered him part of the family, it wasn't his place to dictate the terms of the relationship between Don and his daughter. He hated to see her hurt Don in this fashion. However, as hard as it was for him to admit, Judy was an adult now and needed to be treated as such.

"It's her decision."

Putting her hand about Walman's proffered arm, she walked off without a backward glance.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Don hung back by the viewport, under the pretense of examining a blinking console as John showed Danziger and Alonzo about the main deck of the Jupiter 2. It irked him that John was so trusting. Inviting complete strangers to dinner? How did he know these men wouldn't try to steal the Chariot or their space ship in the dead of night? From their ragged appearance, it was apparent these men had been living under rather primitive conditions.

His resentment simmered as he wondered how Judy could've run off so eagerly with Walman. Hadn't the past three years meant anything to her? Once again, Smith's meddling had brought them nothing but trouble.

John Robinson gestured to various panels and then led the men to the central astrogator, a large circular instrument residing in the center of the deck. A clear dome covered the unit. In many ways, it resembled a sun dial.

"You mentioned you had some expertise in mechanics. Perhaps you can take a look at our astrogator. Doctor Smith damaged the controls, resulting in our crash."

Damaged? That was a gross understatement. Unbidden, the memory returned to Don. Smith was holding the control lever for the astrogator hostage as he tried to blackmail them into changing their coordinates to those for Earth. Of course, no one, not even the Robot, could substantiate his bearings, and even if they had been valid, the Jupiter lacked sufficient fuel for such a course change. But common sense had never been one of Smith's strong suites.

After Smith refused to listen to reason, John called his bluff, thinking the man wouldn't be foolish enough to endanger their lives. Naturally, expecting the good doctor to act rationally was equally foolhardy. He did the unthinkable, mangling the controls and in the process sending them into a massive hyper drive. They were lucky they hadn't been killed.

With a puzzled expression, Danziger examined the unit. "I'd…have to play around with it."

"Of course. Maybe we can check it out in the morning. We'd appreciate any assistance you could provide. Usually Don and I do a pretty good job figuring things out, but we've been stumped by this."

"Smith really did it this time," Don mumbled, his anger starting to choke him.

He and John had tried everything, without success. Even if they were able to obtain sufficient quantities of deutronium fuel, without a functional navigation system, they would be permanently grounded. The eternal optimist, John had withheld this information from the family, hopeful that he and Don would eventually figure things out. He didn't want to worry them. However, it was enough to keep Don awake nights.

"Your Doctor Smith sounds a little like our Morgan Martin," Danziger commented.

Morgan was conveniently below deck with Maureen and Penny while Will, Smith and the Robot had disappeared outside, claiming some project that needed attention.

"What's this?" Alonzo gestured to an analog display on an instrument panel.

"Our atomic clock. It was also damaged in the crash. Can you believe it says the current year is 2214?" John laughed.

Their visitors didn't seem to think it was funny.

The elevator connecting the two decks arrived with Morgan, Maureen and Penny.

Morgan stepped out. "They have a fully functioning galley. And a bathroom with a sonic shower." Barely concealed envy filled his voice. He even sounded a little like Smith.

"Well, certainly. Don't you?" John Robinson asked.

Danziger reminded him. "Like we said, our ship was damaged. There was a problem with the cargo release circuit. We barely made it out alive in the escape pods. We're still finding our jettisoned cargo containers strewn across the continent. We've managed to recover a few vehicles but for the most part, we walk."

"Do you have far to go?"

Wearily, Danziger nodded.

Morgan turned sad eyes towards Mrs. Robinson but Danziger interrupted.

"No! You are not imposing yourself on these people. Don't even ask."

Despite his foul mood, Don grinned. If only Smith were that easy to control.

"But, we certainly wouldn't mind." Kind hearted Maureen took pity on the man.

Danziger's tone dramatically changed as he turned toward Mrs. Robinson. "Thank you but it's not necessary. You've already done more than enough sharing dinner with us and we appreciate that. We've imposed enough. We need to check on the Dune Rail anyway."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Judy hadn't felt this alive for a long time. After the tedium of repairs and monotonous daily chores, meeting new people was always a welcome change. And to have not one but two handsome men flirting with her? It was better than she could've dreamed. The attention made her feel pretty. Special. Desirable. She hadn't felt that way for months. The sensation was so intoxicating she could almost ignore her poor behavior with respect to Don.

"Are you cold?" Walman asked.

"No, I'm fine. It's such a beautiful night," Judy answered. The two had walked along the valley and found some rocks to sit on while they watched the stars.

It wasn't as if she and Don hadn't done this hundreds of times before. On Priplanus, they'd even worn a groove in the rocks from sitting in the same positions for so many nights. Yet, for the first time in weeks, she was with a desirable man in the moonlight and his attention was fully focused on her rather than obsessing about problems.

Of the two men, clearly Alonzo was more comfortable around women. His compliments flowed easily while Walman stumbled while making conversation. It was also a little difficult to find common grounds, given they'd come from such divergent places. That didn't bother her. In fact, it made him more appealing. She enjoyed the special effort Walman made to please her. It was sweet.

"How do you like Planet G889?"

She laughed, "Not a very imaginative name- is it? I like it. It reminds me of Earth. What about you?"

"It's okay. I'm used to the Stations or space ships. You know - climate control, bland but relatively constant supply of food and water. It can be a pain dealing with some of the day to day survival issues here. The summer heat. The snow in winter. Having to buddle up every day was a pain in..." He cut off his sentence, remembering he was with a lady.

"Weren't you expecting that?"

Walman reminded her, "I wasn't supposed to land on this planet. I was part of the Ops crew. The crash changed all that."

"Is there some one at your stations waiting for you?"

"With over forty four years passing by the time we would've gotten back to port, it wouldn't have mattered if I did."

Judy's eyes widened. "Don't you miss your family?"

He shrugged. "You take opportunities where you get them. It's hard to find good paying jobs so you put up with some inconveniences."

Astounded, Judy replied, "But twenty two years in suspended animation? And that's only one way. That sounds like a major inconvenience. We were supposed to be in freezing tubes for five and half years, but it ended up being less than eight hours."

Sensing that Walman was curious, she assured him, "You don't want to know." She wasn't about to put a damper on the evening talking about Dr. Smith and the events which had condemned them to being lost in space.

"What's it like being out that long?" she asked.

"It doesn't feel any different than normal sleep. It just takes a while to adjust when you first wake up. What about you? How did you come to be a…" he searched for the right words. "A space family?"

She loved the way he always turned to conversion back to her. "It wasn't easy. We went through test after test. I didn't want to go at first but.." She couldn't tell him her attraction to Don was part of what had changed her mind.

"I'd miss my family too much. Aunts and cousins just wouldn't be the same as my parents and Will and Penny. We're a close family. Besides, in many respects, it seemed like a grand adventure."

Walman laughed dryly. "I think I've had enough adventure for this life time."

"Me too."

He cautiously asked, "So, are you and the Major a couple?"

Why did he have to spoil it all and bring up Don? She was having such a nice time. She didn't want to talk about that. She had strong feelings for Don, no doubt. Those had never faded. However, it was complicated. Don was furious with her and she'd hurt him tonight. But he didn't own her. He needed to learn to control his temper and stop blaming Dr. Smith for all his problems.

"It's not that simple," she sighed.

Not wanting to push his luck, he merely replied, "Okay."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I agree, Will Robinson. The flashing lights may be a code," the Robot stated. He, Will and Dr. Smith were gathered about a folding table. They'd set up their makeshift lab in a rock alcove, just out of sight of the Jupiter 2. Samples of the glowing orange rocks sat on the table top, along with a microscope, test tubes and several bottles containing chemicals.

"Nonsense! It's a rock," Dr. Smith firmly claimed.

"Do you think you can crack the code?" Will asked.

"I shall do my best," the Robot solemnly promised, raising his claw to his bubble brow in a boy scout salute.

Will wondered what they would learn. It was always exciting to interact with unusual species. "I wonder what they're saying."

"Balderdash. They are _not _alive," Dr. Smith emphatically stated.

"You don't know that. Maybe it goes beyond our standard definition of life - breathing, eating and sleeping. Perhaps our definition has been limited by our experiences."

"Come, come. Enough of this theoretical mumbo jumbo. What about Lunite's more useful properties?" Dr. Smith asked.

Will checked the thermometer adjacent to the sample. "The temperature around this rock hasn't changed since dinner, remaining at least five degrees higher than the surroundings. And the temperature in the insulated container is still almost ten degrees higher than ambient."

"Source of heat as well as light," Dr. Smith mused.

"You could use it to warm up your tent on a camping trip," Will claimed.

"Pish, posh. Don't limit yourself to the banal. Think grander, my dear boy. Picture a ceremonial hall, filled only with the warm orange glow of Lunite. What a marvelous sight that would be."

Will asked the Robot, "What is it composed of?"

"Silt and clay. Typical components of sedimentary rocks," the Robot rattled off.

"That doesn't account for the glow," Dr. Smith spoke more to himself.

"Warning! Warning! Alien life form approaching!" The Robot waved his claws in the air.

A rumbling disturbed them. A tall tan creature, similar to the ones they'd encountered in the chamber earlier that day, had appeared from the ground.

Dr. Smith cowered by Will and the Robot.

"Do something you incompetent booby!" Dr. Smith shouted at the Robot.

"Wait," Will bravely stepped forward towards the creature.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Smith cried.

Addressing the being, Will explained, "My name is Will Robinson. And this is Doctor Smith. We crashed on to your planet a few weeks ago. We are friendly, we mean you no harm."

Odd sounds issued from the creature. "Didididi."

"Robot – can you translate?"

"As you are aware, I am well versed in many languages and received my diploma in linguistics from Robotic U. Unfortunately, this language is not in my data banks."

"Didididididid."

"Do you think he wants the rocks back? Alonzo said the Terrians had a relationship with the planet. These could be an important part of that."

Dr. Smith began to relax since the creature merely watched them.

"Nonsense. He's just curious. That's all. And how do we even know if he's one of those 'Terrians'? Maybe it's an entirely different species with rather limited intelligence."

Dr. Smith took a minuscule step towards the creature. "We are space travelers stranded on this dreary planet and we will be leaving. Soon." Gesturing with his hands, he waved to dismiss the creature. "Shoo."

It didn't move.

"Maybe I'll test out my theory," Will mumbled.

Before he could grab an orange rock, Dr. Smith slyly mentioned, "Didn't you tell me that Lunite, er… these rocks were a potential source of energy? Don't you want to help the family? Imagine if, God forbid, we're stuck in this retched place this winter. What if there are problems with our power source? We could use these rocks for heat and light. Don't you want to be a hero?'

Although Will was getting too old to fall for Dr. Smith's lines, he had a big heart. He always wanted to do his share to help the family. His hand fell to his side.

The creature returned into the earth, leaving no evidence of its visit.

Dr. Smith heaved a sigh of relief. "There boy, you see. He was only curious. That's all. However, I suggest we store the samples on the space ship for safe keeping."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** I've posted background information and photos for both shows on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to send you the link. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

True Danizger meets Penny Robinsons. And Don gets advice about his love life from an unexpected person.

**Chapter 4**

(True Danziger)

_I was excited when Alonzo told us about the family they'd met. Finally something different and interesting was happening that wasn't terrifying or life-threatening. Meeting another girl close to my age seemed too good to be true! Uly was okay but he could act like a whiney brat, always insisting on having his way. If I heard him bragging one more time about how he was part Terrian- I was gonna slug him. _

_Maybe this new girl would want to ride horses in the VR sim game instead of the same old boring sheriff game Uly liked. Or we could make up some entirely new games and not include Uly at all!_

_When Alonzo announced he was taking the ATV back to the Robinsons to help out Dad and Walman, I had to tag along._

Day 252

After hurling herself at her father in an overly enthusiastic hug, he'd sent her towards the pond so she could wash up before meeting the Robinsons. She ran most of the way, looking forward to cooling off.

When she caught sight of a girl, seated on a fallen log by the stream, despite her eagerness to make a new friend, True spoke without thinking. After all, she was her father's daughter.

"What are you wearing?" True was horrified by the girl's vibrant pink and green jumper with mid-thigh hemline, paired with shiny green boots.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" The girl wrinkled her nose, obviously not impressed by True's dirty boyish overalls that hung on her slight frame.

True stepped closer. "How can you get any work done? Don't you have to worry about getting dirty?"

"Of course not. We have a clothes washer. I think you're jealous that I look nicer than you."

"So what," True hotly contested.

The girl had hit a nerve. Alonzo had regaled the camp with tales about Judy's beauty and Walman's subsequent infatuation. He joked that he was returning to coach him. Of course, this must be her sister, Penny, who turned out to be equally glamorous. At least five inches taller, her figure featured fledgling womanly curves, while True's body remained slim and boyish. Even Penny's short dark hair shone, curling under perfectly, while True continually pushed her long tangled mass away from her face.

She stopped about three feet from the girl. "I'm True. True Danziger."

"Penny Robinson."

Neither girl moved closer to the other.

"I know."

Before her disappointment could fully sink in, True's eyes lit up when she caught sight of the pond. She rushed over, tearing off her shoes and socks to submerge her feet. "That feels wonderful."

Making an effort, Penny walked over and sat on the ground beside her. "So, you're a colonist? Part of…" she searched her memory. "Eden Advance?"

"Not really. My Dad and I weren't even supposed to leave the ship. Drop cargo and return to…" She cut herself short, remembering Devon's dire warnings not to divulge too much information. "Home."

"I didn't realize that. Do you miss it?"

"Not really." Despite the dangers, Planet G889 had possibilities. Her dad claimed rising above drone status, a feat nearly impossible on the Stations, was a viable option here – whatever that meant. Ultimately, it didn't really matter to her. As long as she was with her dad, she'd be happy.

True eased her legs deeper into the water, not caring that her pants legs were getting soaked. She cupped her hands to trickle cool water down her face.

Then she remembered Devon had urged her to get as much information as possible about the family.

"You gonna stick around here?" she asked Penny.

"I don't think so. As soon as Dad and Don fix the ship and refine enough fuel, we're bound for Alpha Centauri."

True suppressed a smirk. Despite the fact she'd never had any formal schooling until recently, even she was fully aware that, other than Planet G889, there were no other habitable planets in their galaxy. Humoring the girl, she asked, "Is a colony ship meeting you there?"

"I think so. We were the first space family. Dozens of others were supposed to follow us to help colonize Alpha Centauri."

True's brow furrowed. "Then why wouldn't they be sending more ships?"

"Alpha Control was having problems. Other countries didn't like what they were trying to accomplish. The first mission, the Jupiter 1, was destroyed by a bomb at lift off. We ran into problems too. I honestly don't know if Alpha Control knows that we're still alive."

True opened her mouth to exclaim that their ship had been sabotaged as well, but she closed it quickly. Too much information.

"What was wrong with your old planet?"

"It was getting overcrowded. Too many people," Penny explained.

"What about pollution?"

The Earth that the Stations orbited was in poor shape, stripped of most of its resources. The atmosphere was choked with pollutants. It was nearly impossible to grow crops due to high temperatures and the lack of nutrients in the soil.

"That wasn't as much of an issue. Though I'm sure it would've eventually been, with so many people."

A rustle in the bushes attracted the girls' attention.

"There you are, Teena." Penny reached out for the small brown creature who rushed into her arms.

True tensed. "Don't you know what that is? It's a Koba. They're dangerous!" She'd made that mistake one too many times when they'd first crashed onto the planet.

"Says who? I've been watching it for days and it's perfectly tame."

"You've gotta get rid it of it!" Penny didn't know what she was dealing with.

Penny rose. "You hateful little girl. I'll do no such thing."

"They're dangerous!"

"I think you're horrid!" Penny picked up the Koba and left.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Excuse me?" Danziger spoke with Devon Adair over his gear. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Her image responded, "Maybe…maybe we shouldn't get involved with the Robinsons. Like you said, they don't appear to be a threat to us and they're fairing better than we are. They still have their ship and most of their technical equipment. Instead of helping them, it would be wiser for you and Walman to continue scouting ahead for a pass." She covered her mouth, muffling a cough.

"You sure about that Adair? Don't you want to know what's going on? Where did they come from? Why are they here? In their eyes, if they don't fix their navigational system, they're never gonna be able to lift off."

Impatiently, she responded, "How can you help them? Didn't you say it was different technology than ours? Besides, where are they going to go? This is the only habitable planet in the universe. You've already been there almost five days. You're wasting time."

It wasn't like Devon to avoid looking him in the eye, even over gear. "What gives Adair? This isn't like you."

Danziger had a strong self preservation streak. After the stories he'd heard a few nights ago while seated around the Robinson's dinner table describing giant flowers that replicated people, intergalactic department stores, and giant walking, talking carrots, normally he'd consider them nut cases and steer clear. He'd thought the kids were pulling his leg until he realized that John Robinson was completely serious.

Despite this, he genuinely liked the Robinsons. In some ways they struck him as naïve and strangely vulnerable. He wanted to help them. Usually Adair would've been the first to offer such assistance.

Somewhat softer, she answered, "The Terrians are upset."

"How do you know this?"

Reluctantly, she said, "Uly had a dream."

"Uly? Not Alonzo?" Typically Alonzo was their contact person. While Uly had been cured by the Terrians and retained some alien traits in the process, they'd never spoken to the group through him.

"That's right."

"Did they say they were upset with the Robinsons or to avoid them?"

Eyes downcast, she answered, "No. But I don't want to jeopardize our relationship."

Same old garbage he'd heard many times before. He exhaled with disgust, "It's not much of a relationship Adair, if we can't even figure out what the hell they're talking about. I'm not leaving these people stranded here. Their ship is damaged and they need our help.

"Besides, you're missing the point. As I work with them, I'm learning more about them. Isn't that what's most important to our group? Figuring out what's going on?"

Sensing she was fighting a losing battle, she changed the subject, "Alonzo and True arrive okay?" She started coughing.

"Yeah." He wasn't sure why she sent them, especially after complaining about him wasting time, but it was always good to see True.

"Find out any new information?"

"I have a better handle on what we might be dealing with. You're not gonna believe their lift off date. October 16_, 1997_."

Her eyes widened. "That would explain part of it. But it still doesn't account for those wild stories about aliens." A fit of deep coughing interrupted her.

"Adair, you shouldn't be walking. Listen to yourself. Ride in the TransRover. There's room. Morgan can walk."

"Quit treating me like I'm some sort of child. I'm fine," she snapped.

"Yeah. Whatever." He didn't know why he bothered, she never listened.

"We'll catch up with you in a day or so."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alonzo hovered about Don, John, and Danziger as they puzzled over the guts of the Jupiter's navigational system. He was doing his best to help but flying space ships was his forte not building them. He was surprised that Don, their pilot, and John were so knowledgeable about the workings of their ship. He was also amazed to discover that Don was a decent guy when he wasn't fuming over Walman's attention to Judy.

Devon had insisted that he return to assist Danziger with the Robinsons. She didn't come out and say it, but she was concerned about Danziger's lack of tact. Alonzo would've preferred to have stayed behind with his girlfriend, Julia, and travel with the rest of Eden Advance. Yet, like Danziger, he too was drawn to the Robinsons and curious about their situation. Besides, Walman wasn't being overly helpful, following Judy whenever an opportunity presented itself.

After a few hours of tinkering, Alonzo was feeling restless, so he stepped outside the ship for some fresh air. Walman and Judy were chatting as they weeded the garden which was suspended in trays – similar to Station horticulture. A moment later, Don walked outside as well. His expression soured upon seeing the couple and he stormed off, away from the ship.

Alonzo decided to follow him. As much as he liked Walman, he was feeling a little sorry for the young pilot.

Immediately catching on to his presence after they'd left the proximity of the ship, Don whirled about. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Just getting some air, like you. You know, I came back to help out Walman," he teased, "but it's not exactly a level playing field."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Hostility filled Don's voice.

Alonzo prided himself on his people skills. He had a good grasp of this situation. "Only that there seems to be some history between you and Judy. Maybe you two need to talk."

"Yeah? Punching Walman in the nose would work better," Don muttered.

Alonzo couldn't help but grin. "That might make you feel better but I don't think Judy would be impressed."

"You may have a point," Don reluctantly conceded.

"Have you have taken her for a moon lit walk and told her how beautiful she is?" Alonzo prompted.

"Are you kidding? With the crash and repairs plus trying to refine fuel? I don't have time for that stuff."

"And you're wondering why she's attracted to Walman? Women need to be showered with attention. You've got to show her you think she's special." A former lady's man, Alonzo knew what he was talking about.

"There's no time." A hint of sadness was in his voice.

"There's always time to make your life better. We've been trekking across this planet for months under far more primitive conditions than yours and people have managed to get together. Well….except for the stubborn ones. Instead of freezing my ass off this winter, I had a wonderful woman to keep me warm."

And what a woman she was. Alonzo always had been attracted to beauty, and Julia ranked highly in that category with her slim athletic physique, shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. Yet he'd soon learned that young Dr. Heller's beauty was more than skin deep. When his leg had broken during their crash landing, she'd tirelessly worked with him, trying combination after combination of medicines and therapies to help him heal. She didn't fall for his lines – the ones that other women had so eagerly devoured. She expected, no, she demanded more. They balanced each other nicely – him with his zest for life and her with her cautious bent. Although he'd never been one for making long range plans, Alonzo had mentally shifted his alliance to that of colonist bound to settle on G889, with Julia by his side.

"You're not traveling with your girl friend's parents in the next room."

"True" Alonzo conceded, somewhat surprised by the admission. "But if you want her, you can't take her for granted anymore. Walman is my buddy and I want the best for him, but your heart is into this more than his. I'd hate to see you lose her because you're being stubborn."

"Who are you calling stubborn?"

Alonzo stared at him.

"But…what can I do? It's not like I can take her out to dinner or buy her flowers or jewelry. We're in the middle of nowhere. I don't know the rules anymore."

"You have options. What about a VR date?"

"VR?"

"Virtual reality." Seeing the other man had no clue as to what he was discussing, Alonzo grinned and patted him on the shoulder. "It'll open a whole new world of possibilities."

"But why? Why would you want to do this?" Don asked with suspicion.

Alonzo shrugged. "I don't know. I've made mistakes with women. Believe me, I'm older than I look. I've played the field. I was damn good at it too. Thought I was living the big life. But I'm finally with the right woman and I'm happy. Really happy. I'd hate to see you throw that chance away."

XXXXXXXXXXX

It was dark by the time Danziger and True reached their camp. The Dune Rail sat by two tents, clustered about a fire pit, though it hadn't been used for cooking. The Robinsons had been spoiling them, insisting upon sharing every meal. Alonzo and Walman had hung around with the Robinsons at the Jupiter 2 to chat after dinner while True and Danziger had headed back to their tents.

"What gives True? You didn't even try to talk to the Robinsons."

She shrugged, not wanting to get into it. She feigned a yawn, hoping she could duck into the tent for the night and avoid her father's questions. His glare convinced her otherwise. She sank down on the ground beside him while he started a camp fire.

"I don't know. They're….." carefully gauging her father's reaction, not wanting to hurt his feeling. She didn't understand why he liked those people so much. "Weird."

"You know better than to judge people by their appearance," he scolded.

How could she explain that there was more to it. It went far deeper than the odd clothing. Their strange saucer shaped ship, their unusual gadgets all felt so alien to her. She'd felt more at home in Sheppard's cave filled with convicted criminals.

"You didn't even try to talk to Penny," he chided her.

"She didn't either," True retorted in her defense. She was a little ashamed of her behavior earlier that day with Penny. Her embarrassment was too fresh to try again this soon.

"I don't understand. This isn't like you. I thought you'd be happy to meet new kids."

"I know." Trying to shift the focus away from herself, for she had no desire to share the details of their meeting, she added, "Will didn't say one word to me either."

"He's a thirteen year old boy. No boy that age is comfortable talking with girls. Add to that that he's spent the last three years with his sisters, his parents, an old guy and a robot for pals? Give him some time, he's good kid."

His affectionate tone alarmed her. It was bad enough she'd been forced to share her father with Uly since they'd crash landed on G889. Since Uly had the Syndrome, her father had immediately taken pity upon him and gone out of his way to help him. Later, during the weeks that Devon had been suspended in cold sleep on the grounded Council ship, he'd practically acted as if he was Uly's father. She'd resented it. True hadn't dwelled on the notion that the boy's mother was seriously ill. She'd only wanted her dad for herself.

Ever since Devon's collapse, her father had seemed different. Perhaps stepping in as group leader at that time had been challenging for him. Once or twice he'd commented to her that he didn't know what he was doing but she'd thought he'd done a great job. Those evenings when he said goodnight to her, he'd seemed preoccupied. It had scared her that she couldn't seem to reach him.

Once Devon had been cured, she'd hoped that he would be more like himself. That hadn't been the case. Even now his attention was meandering as he stared towards the fledgling fire. She was already losing him.

First she had to share him with Uly, and then Eden Advance. And now he expected her to share him with these Robinsons too? She didn't want to like them. She wasn't going to share her dad with anyone else. It was too much!

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Having successfully given Don love life advice, Alonzo was feeling cocky as he approached Danziger perched by their campfire at the Dune Rail later that evening.

Although hours had passed since he'd left the Jupiter 2, the tall mechanic was planted by their meager campfire, still staring into the dying embers. Brooding. He'd vehemently disagree but that's what he was doing. It was the same thing he'd done for nights on end, even when they'd been with Eden Advance. It had started when Devon became ill and had to be placed into the cold sleep chamber.

"Have you told her how you feel?" Alonzo asked.

Startled, Danziger looked up. "What? What are you talking about?"

Talk about being stubborn. Even though he'd nearly lost Devon to her mysterious illness, he was still deluding himself, pretending he didn't care as much as he did.

"It might ease the tension. Help you sleep better at night."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

Alonzo merely chuckled as he ducked into his tent.

"Good night."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I have background information and photos for both shows posted on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to provide the links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

The Robinsons discover that Planet G889 can be a dangerous place.

**Chapter 5**

Wed August 10th

"So…has he?" Penny asked Judy as they tended the vegetables in the hydroponic garden.

Judy blushed as she yanked a weed.

"He has!" Penny triumphantly yelled.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Judy replied, her cheeks growing darker. Nervously, she looked up to make sure Don wasn't around to over hear their conversation.

"Was it on the hand or cheek?" Penny dramatically brought her palm to her mouth, mimicking the motion. Then she kept digging. "Or was it a real kiss?" If she couldn't have a social life, at least she could live one vicariously through her sister.

Judy laughed, seeing her sister's eager face. "It's none of your business."

"When will he be back?"

"A day or so, I guess. Dad said one of their vehicles had broken down – the TransRover? So it all depends on how soon the men meet up with the main group and then how quickly Mr. Danziger is able to fix the vehicle."

"That ought to be pretty soon then. Dad was impressed by his skills." Penny examined the color of a tomato. She debated whether to harvest it or wait another day or two. She decided to wait. "Can you imagine walking across a continent?"

"No. But that's where their colony ship will be landing - New Pacifica. They're supposed to be setting up a fully functional hospital."

"Really? Why?" This was news to Penny.

"Walman told me all about it. The colony ship has two hundred fifty families - all with Syndrome children."

Penny nodded, remembering Mr. Danziger had mentioned The Syndrome one night during dinner. Children on the Stations were failing to thrive. Their immune systems were highly impaired. Syndrome children were condemned to life in immunosuits which supported basic life functions. Most of them only lived eight or nine years. It was becoming a dire situation.

News of other families arriving made Penny's heart flutter. She couldn't help but hope that some of those families might have healthy boys or girls that were close to her age. She'd been relatively content until her disappointing encounter with True. It had only reinforced feelings of isolation and intensified her loneliness. Uly, the only other child in Eden Advance, was even younger than True and he didn't sound promising as a companion either.

But what was the point? They'd probably lift off from this planet long before then.

"How are they going to build a hospital?"

Judy huffed impatiently. "The supplies were in their cargo pods – remember? The ones dumped all over the planet?"

"Right. That's rough." Preferring a more pleasant subject, Penny prodded her sister. "What's Walman like?" Personally she thought Don was much better looking but she wasn't about to share that. If Judy started dating Walman, that could open interesting future possibilities for her.

"Mark?"

Penny grinned broader. "Oh, so it's Mark now…"

Before Judy could speak, Don stepped out of the space ship. He laid some tools down by the force field generator and began to tinker with the unit.

Penny and Judy exchanged a silent glance, indicating they'd continue their conversation later. While gossiping was fun, neither girl had any desire to hurt the Major's feelings.

Dr. Smith strolled out of the space ship, approaching the girls. "Hello dear ladies. Now what have we here? Fresh tomatoes. Lettuce. And cucumbers. I sense we'll have a veritable feast tonight. Especially without all those extra mouths to feed."

"Doctor Smith!" Penny objected. "That's not very nice."

"It's the truth, isn't it? Even that scrawny little girl ate as much as a linebacker."

Don could never resist an opportunity to tease Dr. Smith. "At least _they_ were earning their keep."

Danziger and Alonzo had been assisting them with repairs. Even True had pitched in without complaint, helping with chores.

"Is the space ship ready for lift off? Has all the necessary fuel been mined?" Smith pointed out.

"They've been trying to help. Unlike _some_ people…."

"Major, how dare you imply such a thing."

"I wasn't trying to be subtle, Smith." Don returned his attention to the force field generator.

Dr. Smith pretended to supervise the girls in the garden, peering over the trays. He'd reach over and pop an occasional ripe vegetable into his mouth.

"We're not going to have much left for dinner tonight if you continue at this rate," Judy warned.

Nonplussed, Dr. Smith pointed to a pepper, "You missed this one, Penny."

"It's not quite ripe."

Smith continued to hover in pseudo-supervisor mode when a motion caught his attention. "Penny dear, that creature of yours is here."

Teena approached the hydroponic garden.

"She won't hurt you Dr. Smith. Come on, Teena," Penny called.

Teena stepped closer to Dr. Smith. Stopping only a foot away, she starred at him. This unnerved him.

"Stared at by rodents? I will not tolerate this treatment. It simply must stop!"

The girls and Don laughed. "She's not going to hurt you. She's just curious," Penny assured him.

"Be gone you hairless vermin! Shoo! Go away!" His hand motions became more vigorous but the creature didn't budge. Frustrated, he picked up a nearby rock and threw it towards her. She didn't run but she was startled. She drew back her hand and flung something in retaliation. Dr. Smith ducked, successfully avoiding the tiny projectile.

"What are you doing, you wretched creature! Shoo! Go away!" He picked up another rock but before he could throw it, Teena scampered away.

"About time. Loathsome rodent."

"Judy, what is it?" Penny asked. Her sister's expression had changed.

"I feel strange," Judy's voice waivered.

Penny gasped when she noticed a small twig-like object embedded in his sister's neck. When Dr. Smith had ducked to avoid the flying object, it had headed straight for the girls. The coloring around the area was changing rapidly, growing darker.

"Does it hurt?" Penny asked, inspecting the wound.

"Not really. I just feel so odd."

"Smith, if you're up to more of your tricks, I'm gonna wring your neck," Don threatened, racing towards the man.

"Don!" Penny screamed.

Judy was collapsing. Don rushed over to catch her and transfer her safely to the ground. Hearing Penny's shout, Maureen and John hurried over from inside the space ship, bending over the form of their eldest daughter. Don stepped aside to allow John access.

"It looks like some sort of a claw," John said. "Let's remove it."

"I'll get the first aid kit!" Penny raced into the space ship.

Maureen grabbed Judy's hand, "Judy." With more urgency, she cried, "Judy? John, she's not responding!"

John bent to feel the pulse in her throat with his fingers.

While the Robinsons crowded about Judy, attempting to help her, Don laid into Smith. "You couldn't leave good enough alone. You had to antagonize Penny's pet, didn't you? And now Judy's hurt because of you. You ruin everything you touch." The Major stepped dangerously close to Dr. Smith.

Taking a step back for his own welfare Dr. Smith simpered, "I didn't do it on purpose."

"You never do. Yet you always manage to mess things up for every one else," Don growled, tightly grabbing the doctor's forearm.

"You're hurting my arm."

Breathless, Penny hurried back, first aid kit in hand, rushing to her father's side. Handing the tweezers to John, he removed the object, then studied it.

Maureen cried, "John, I can't find a pulse! Her breathing is becoming shallow. We're losing her!"

That galvanized Don, who rushed back to her side.

"Oh my God!" Maureen sobbed as John frantically performed CPR.

XXXXXXXXX

Don raised the axe above his head and lowered it with a resounding blow, slicing the timber in half. After clearing away the pieces, he positioned another section. It was hard work. His shoulders were aching. Muscles he hadn't used in ages were screaming for relief. It was just what he needed.

His anger at Smith propelled him. He couldn't sit still. It was far easier to deal with venting his rage than the alternative.

How could something like this have happened? One minute Judy and Penny had been joking around and the next... It galled him even more that it had happened right in front of him and he still hadn't been able to protect her.

The axe came down with a tremendous thud.

If only…

If only Smith hadn't been there. He wouldn't have provoked Penny's pet and this horrible ordeal would never have occurred.

If only Smith hadn't been fiddling around with the controls, they never would've crash landed on this planet to begin with. Judy never would've met Walman. Don still would've felt secure in the knowledge that she had loved him. After the events of the past few days, he no longer had such a luxury.

If only Smith had never been trapped on board the Jupiter 2 in the first place. After a five and a half year stasis period, they would've arrived just outside of the planets of the Alpha Centauri system. Colonizing a new world would've brought its own unique challenges but by that time other families would've joined them. Civilization would've been on its way to being re-established. He and Judy would've been happily married, with a baby on the way. His biggest concern would've been adjusting to a slower paced agrarian life style.

To think that sweet, innocent Judy had always been so quick to defend that man. So quick to forgive his faults and to supply infinite second chances despite his obvious lack of real effort to reform. Like a mischievous child, he was only sorry when he got caught. Even worse than a child, Smith was old enough to know better.

He set up another piece of timber, taking great satisfaction imagining the wood as Smith's head. With a powerful blow, it split in two.

He couldn't be at the Jupiter 2 now. He didn't trust himself. His impulse to wring Smith's neck would overpower him. In his current frame of mind, Don wasn't completely sure if that would be wrong.

How foolish he had been. Once Alonzo had spoken with him about a VR date, Don had grown optimistic. He'd felt certain that once he readjusted his priorities that Judy would chose him over Walman. He had been neglecting her and it was time to change that.

Alonzo had spent the entire evening, talking him through the VR programming. The technology was amazing and he was excited to try it out. He'd been hoping to share his plans with Judy once he'd finished some chores. Now it had all been for nothing.

"I was wondering where you'd gone," John Robinson appeared.

"I couldn't…" his voice trailed off, as he lowered his axe. What was there to say?

Gesturing to the axe, John asked, "Where did you find this?"

"The Eden Advance men must have left it behind by mistake. This was their campsite." He positioned another piece of wood then raised the axe. His powerful stroke missed the block of wood, throwing him precariously off balance.

John reached over to steady him. "Whoa, you're gonna hurt yourself if you're not careful. We can't afford to lose anyone else."

Don went through the motion of nodding, but he didn't care. He was already hurting more than humanly possible.

He and the Robinson family had been through a lot during their three years in space. Space travel wasn't an easy lot. They were fully aware of the risks when they volunteered for the mission. They'd dealt with limited food, hostile aliens, countless crash landings, and some how they'd managed to come through unscathed. But this time it was different. He didn't see how life could ever resemble normal again.

If only he had taken the time, just taken one moon lit walk with her. He'd seen it in her eyes, she'd been dying for him to ask her. It would've been his last chance to hold her, to tell her how much he cared for her. But he'd been so preoccupied by problems that he hadn't bothered. Now he would never have that opportunity again. He would never know if Judy truly had understood how much he loved her.

Putting the axe aside he claimed, "It's all Smith's fault. He messes up everything he touches."

"We can't blame all our problems on Doctor Smith."

More animated, Don raged, "How can you say that? He's sabotaged the ship – multiple times. We would've been safely on our way to Alpha Centauri if it hadn't been for him. We would've been setting up our own colony by now."

Don couldn't understand John's reserve. The man cherished his daughter, yet his stoic demeanor might suggest otherwise. Perhaps he was still in shock, not fully comprehending that he would never speak with his eldest daughter again. Then again, John always had a better handle on his emotions than Don did.

"What's wrong with you, John? His actions got Judy killed. Don't you want to wring his miserable neck? Make him pay for what he did."

"It won't bring her back."

"How can you let him do this? Isn't it bad enough that he's caused crash after crash? That he's continually abandoned us in our time of need? How can you let him get away with this?" Don was ashamed that his anger was giving way to sorrow.

John's voice remained level. "It won't change things. He's hurting too."

"I'll bet," Don muttered under his breath.

"We need to discuss…arrangements."

Arrangements? That sounded so final. Don just stared at him. "No, I ... Not now. Leave me alone."

"Perhaps we should contact Eden Advance. Let them know about a potentially dangerous animal."

Don stared at him wondering how he could be thinking about others at a time like this.

"Alonzo left me a gear set –that's their communication device. It's in my cabin. Help yourself."

Stepping closer towards Don, he said, "Come back with me. You're an important part of our family too. We're all grieving. We need to be together."

Don was touched but he couldn't. "Not now. If I see Smith…I..I just don't trust myself."

"Come back soon. Remember, Danziger warned us it wasn't safe here."

The Stations government had secretly tested out planet G889's habitability sending boatloads of penal colonist and other political prisoners as test subjects. So far the Robinsons hadn't had such a run in but Eden Advance had not been as fortunate.

John tentatively patted Don on the shoulder. "Come back soon. We need you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Penny's eyes were red and badly swollen. She lay on her side on her bunk, her mother perched beside her.

"I…I can't believe this happened."

Maureen's features were drawn yet she managed to access a reserve of strength for her remaining daughter.

"I know."

Penny sat up. "It's my fault," she sniffed.

"Don't be silly. How can that be?"

She took a breath, "I was jealous. Judy's always had Don. And then Walman and Alonzo were interested in her too. I don't have any one."

"Hush now. You're too young to be concerned about such things."

"No Mom, I'm not. I'm almost fifteen years old!"

Maureen wisely pointed out, "You and True didn't hit it off."

She sadly shook her head. Maybe she'd never make a real friend again. Maureen pulled her into a hug.

"We worried about this. The possibility that you and Will would be isolated from other children your age. We hoped for the best. That others would arrive soon enough, before you and Will were old enough to realize what you were missing. Perhaps we were wrong."

"Oh Mom," Penny tilted her head to meet her mother's gaze. "You did the best you could. We wanted to come along."

Maureen pulled back, remembering Judy. "This mission certainly wasn't her idea. But she grew to want it as much as we did. At least, I thought she did. If she had stayed behind on Earth, she would've been lost to us - forever."

She took a breath and continued, "Yet, if she had insisted on staying, we would've allowed her to do so. It would've broken our hearts but we would've allowed it.

"If she had stayed on Earth, at least we could've contented ourselves with the knowledge that she could've been happy. Married with children or successful with her acting career. Maybe she could've been a star on Broadway."

"You know Judy wanted to be with us. She had no regrets," Penny assured her. "It's still my fault she's…gone." Her voice broke.

"Penny, it's perfectly natural to feel that way. But you didn't intentionally hurt your sister. You didn't know the creature was dangerous."

She hated to say it, dreading the disappointment that would fill mother's voice. But if she didn't tell, she couldn't live with herself. Guilt was eating her up. "But Mother…I did."

Maureen's eyes widened.

Face flushed, she confessed, "True told me Teena was dangerous when I first met her yesterday. I didn't believe her. She'd been so nasty, I thought she was still being mean."

"Penny," Maureen said, with some alarm.

"She said Teena was a… Koba and she insisted she was dangerous. And I…and I…" She began sobbing incoherently against her mother's chest.

"There, there now." Maureen patted her back. "It was foolish not to take True's warning seriously. But Penny, you didn't mean for this to happen. You didn't know. You would never purposely harm your sister."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will was in the lab on the lower deck of the Jupiter 2, attempting to repair a damaged laser pistol. Some parts were strewn in front of him on the bench. Usually he had an inherent grasp of technology; he could take apart the laser pistols and reassemble them with ease. He'd repaired the Robot many a time when Dad and Don had been ready to give up. Today, however, his heart wasn't into his work. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened.

Once they'd realized that Judy was dead, the camp had become strangely quiet. Don had immediately stormed out into the wilderness and Dr. Smith had sequestered himself in his quarters. After relaying the news to him, even his mom and dad had disappeared for some privacy, which had suited Will fine. Wiping a stray tear from his cheek, he hadn't wanted an audience.

The Robot approached, sobbing. "Boo hoo!"

"Not you too, Robot. It's hard enough…"

"I will miss Judy," he rotated one hundred eighty degrees and issued a loud trumpeting sound as if he was blowing his nose. Turning back he said, "I…can't believe this happened."

"I can't either." Will put aside the parts of the laser pistol, focusing his attention on the Robot.

"I should've been able to detect that the creature was dangerous. I should've been able to protect her."

"Don't blame yourself Robot. You've been spending a lot of time helping me with our project. You didn't know."

Speaking of blame, he hadn't heard from Dr. Smith in hours. Preoccupied with their grief, lunch and now dinner hadn't been prepared or served - without a single complaint from the good doctor. Will grew concerned.

"We'd better go check on Doctor Smith."

He and the Robot walked over to his cabin. He rapped lightly on the accordion folded door. "Doctor Smith?"

There was no answer.

"Doctor Smith? Are you okay?" He tried the door to discover it wasn't latched. When he entered, Dr. Smith was sitting on his bunk.

"Are you here to yell at me?" he mumbled distantly.

Will pulled up a chair beside the bunk. "No."

Sadly Dr. Smith turned to face him, explaining, "William, I'd give anything to make this go away. Such an awful thing…"

The Robot sobbed. "Poor Judy."

"I deserve any punishment your family gives me. The thought that your sister is no longer with us is almost too painful to bear."

The Robot sobbed louder.

"Get out you blubbering buffoon!"

"So much for buddies sticking together in their time of need." The Robot rotated and heaved a deep sigh. "I will pick some wild flowers for her." He left the cabin.

"One more outburst and I would've had to yank out his power pack." Turning to Will he said, "I'm sorry. So dreadfully, horribly sorry. Do you think I should tell your family? Do you think they can ever forgive me?"

He was genuinely contrite. But the boy couldn't face that now. He was struggling to remain calm himself.

"Yeah. You didn't do it on purpose. But not now."

To think that earlier that day, he and the Robot had been so deeply engrossed with studying the orange rocks. They'd been close to cracking the flashing light code – the language of Lunite. Now that hardly seemed to matter.

"Where's the Major?" Dr. Smith asked, a quiver of fear in his voice.

"I don't know. Don't worry, Dad won't let him hurt you."

John Robinson stuck his head into the room. Dr. Smith cringed, expecting to be yelled at.

"Son, do you know how to use this?" He showed him a headset.

"Isn't that one of Eden Advance's gear sets?"

"Yes. Alonzo left it with Don. Can you figure it out?"

Will was about to question the timing of his father's request yet the man's determined gaze made him reconsider. His father was grieving too. He wouldn't have asked him to do this now if he didn't have a solid reason.

"Alonzo spent a lot of time talking about it with Don. He'd know better than me," Will suggested, uncertain that he could figure it out, given his current mindset.

His father insisted, "Don's not in any condition to do this. I want to make sure Eden Advance is aware that this danger exists."

"Professor Robinson…" Dr. Smith half pleaded.

"Later, Doctor Smith." John Robinson firmly replied, avoiding eye contact with the man.

He and Will left the cabin, gear in hand. They sat at the galley table.

Will assumed his father was angry with Dr. Smith and was prepared to defend him. "He didn't do it on purpose-"

"Not now," John Robinson's iron clad self-control was starting to crack. "Please son, just…help me do this."

Even though he was exhausted, Will gave it his best effort. Fortunately, it was pretty straight forward. After several minutes of investigation, he thought he'd figured it out.

"Let's try it. Do you want to talk with them Dad?

"Son, can you do it?"

"Sure." With more confidence than he felt, he flipped the eye piece to the front and spoke into the head set, "Jupiter 2 calling Eden Advance. Jupiter 2 calling Eden Advance. Do you read me?"

The image of a black man wearing a dirty cloth turban appeared. "This is Baines, Eden Advance. Identify yourself."

Will was thrown off, not recognizing the man.

"It's…Will Robinson. Can I speak with Mr. Danziger?"

The man seemed surprised by his request. "Robinson? I'll find him."

Several minutes later, the familiar image of the curly haired blonde mechanic appeared.

"This is Danziger." Immediately noting Will's strained expression, he became alarmed. "What's wrong?"

He wanted to follow his father's instructions and relay the message that there was a dangerous creature. But all that came out was, "Judy…Judy's dead." He swallowed hard to quell the tears that threatened to erupt.

"What? What happened?"

"Penny's new pet threw some sort of claw at her."

"Pet? What pet?"

"It was about two feet tall with a big head. Walked on two legs. Brownish color."

"Did it touch your sister with its claws?" he asked urgently.

All Will could do was nod as hot tears started to seep against his will.

Half panicked, the mechanic asked, "You didn't bury her – did you?"

Will shook his head.

"Thank God! She's going to be okay Will."

"I don't…understand." The man wasn't making any sense. Will had seen his sister. Her body was cold.

"If she was bitten by a Koba, she's gonna be okay. Don't do anything! We'll be there tomorrow."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Julia and Yale have a theory about the Robinsons. Background information about both shows is posted on my LJ site. PM me if you need links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

**Chapter 6**

(Devon Adair)

_When it came to the Robinsons, the members of our group had mixed feelings. Many were intrigued by the marooned family and their mysterious origins. Others had already decided that they weren't a threat to us so it was time to move on. New Pacifica wasn't getting any closer and no one wanted to stagnate in yet another winter camp if we couldn't negotiate the approaching mountains in a timely fashion._

_I had reservations that I kept to myself. Personally, I agreed that the Robinsons weren't dangerous. Yet something Uly said the other night kept nagging me. He claimed the Terrians told him that they couldn't speak with Alonzo because the Dream Plane near the Robinsons' camp was damaged. Of course, I was fully aware this most likely was a product of an over active imagination. A little boy wanting to feel more grown up and important, trying to impress his mother. _

_As much as I wanted to believe this, I couldn't dismiss the other possibility- that the Robinsons could be unintentionally damaging the Dream Plane with their drilling or waste products from their space ship. If we continued to associate with the Robinsons, would it damage our relationship with the Terrians?_

_Although I felt sympathy for them due to their circumstances, I couldn't jeopardize the future of two hundred fifty Syndrome children and their families who were determined to make a home on this planet. _

_While Danziger could easily scoff at my concerns, I couldn't brush them aside as readily._

Day 255

"I don't understand why we're wasting time with these people. The girl's gonna be fine if she was stung by a Koba. And if not, well…Julia examining her won't make a difference. New Pacifica isn't getting any closer and we need to make serious time if we want to reach it before the colony ship arrives," Baines complained.

Several members of Eden Advance were gathered about their communal camp fire that evening, airing their opinions on the matter. Baines, Cameron, Morgan and Bess were seated on rocks, while Devon, Uly and Julia were perched on overturned packing crates. Danziger stood back from the group, studying the fire.

"They're not a danger to us. They're certainly not Council spies. They're barely mentally balanced," Morgan agreed. "You should've heard them talking about alien beauty contests and Celestial department stores. It was creepy."

"Really? You didn't seem to mind that night while you were stuffing your face with their food," Danziger astutely pointed out as Morgan's shoulders stiffened. "You even tried to weasel your way into spending the night on their space ship."

Morgan squirmed uncomfortably. "Yeah, well…uh…it looked a lot more comfortable than sleeping outside in a tent." Despite Danziger's glare, he managed to finish his point. "I'm with Baines on this, I…I don't see why we need to waste more time."

"Oh, so you know all about the Robinsons and where they came from?" Julia Heller, the young blonde doctor, stood as she spoke.

Baines took up her challenge with one of his own. "No…but does it really matter? Everything's always some big scientific mystery with you. Have you forgotten about all the trouble we got into when you insisted on excavating that frozen Terrian?"

Lugging the huge frozen block back to camp had been a trying chore. They'd nearly burned out the winch on the TransRover. Yet Julia had been convinced it was worth the effort, that she could learn more about the Terrians by studying that ancient preserved member. Once the frozen carcass had thawed, the malevolent spirit that had been released escaped into their camp, possessing Danziger. Under those conditions, he'd nearly killed Alonzo. Baines had been so frightened that he'd locked himself in the TransRover.

Baines reminded her, "Have you forgotten that the finer aspects of science or even civilization on the whole, don't matter out here. It's all about survival. _Our _survival."

Out of habit, Baines searched for his buddy Walman for support but upon hearing the news about Judy, he'd firmly planted himself in the Dune Rail, waiting to roll.

Julia countered, "Aren't you the least bit curious Baines? Why is their technology so different from ours? Why have they had such different experiences in space? Experiences that differ from any others in recorded history."

"Group hypnosis?" Baines shrugged.

"And if that was the case, wouldn't you want to know who did it and why? If it was the Council, most likely we'd be in line to be the next victims," Julia sharply replied.

"You're making a lot of assumptions Julia. Their situation could have nothing to do with ours," Morgan meekly pointed out.

Aghast, the young doctor replied, "How can you say that after all we've been through? You know that G889 is the best viable candidate for human settlement in the known universe. Look at the trouble the Council's gone to, interfering with our efforts."

Endless red tape had delayed their take off by over a year. Only Devon Adair's desperation to depart before her son turned nine had kept their mission on track. And even then, the Council had tried to interfere, planting a bomb on the Advance ship, sabotaging the cargo release circuit on the Advance ship, and even infiltrating the mission with one of their agents.

"I don't see how this relates to us." Baines insisted.

"Doesn't matter." All heads turned towards Danziger, who stepped towards the camp fire. "We're stopping by their campsite tomorrow." It was not phrased as a request but rather, a statement, a note of finality in his voice.

Devon's mouth opened slightly. Since when did Danziger lead the group? Fortunately, she agreed with him.

She took advantage of the moment, "That's right. We need to know what's going on. Yale and Julia have some promising theories but they want to meet with the Robinsons face to face in order to verify them."

Her voice rose over their objections. "We were already planning on recharging at the pond anyway." Trying to defuse Baines and Morgan's angry looks, she added, "We'll send out an advance scouting party with the Dune Rail while the remainder restock supplies and investigate."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"C'mon Morgan, don't you feel the least bit sorry for them? It felt like the end of the world when you were stung by that Koba. I honestly thought my heart had stopped too. It was only minutes before Gaal assured us that you'd be fine but that was long enough for me." Bess shuddered. "And those poor people….Morgan they've spent almost ten hours thinking their daughter had died."

Morgan focused on unrolling his bedroll onto a cot as he and his wife prepared for bed. He rarely discussed that unpleasant incident. During his time in mortal limbo, he'd been convinced that he was in hell.

"Remember when it happened to Commander O'Neill?" Bess' voice intruded.

The incident had occurred within days of their crash landing onto the planet – a cruel introduction to the harsh realities of Planet G889. Unaware that he wasn't really dead, the members of Eden Advance had buried him. Later when they'd learned that the Koba's sting wasn't fatal, consumed by guilt and fear, they'd rushed back to the site only to discover some Grendlers had rescued him from his shallow grave. But the Commander's second chance at life hadn't lasted long.

She studied her husband who was still seemingly engrossed in arranging his blanket. "Danziger seems to think the Robinsons are okay. He's a pretty good judge of character."

Offended, he claimed, "And I'm not?"

"I didn't mean that."

As much as she loved her husband, Bess was a practical woman and fully aware of her husband's shortcomings. On the Stations, he'd been embarrassed by her origins and did his best to conceal the fact that she'd grown up on Earth. With his political aspirations, associating with the wrong sort wouldn't do. Wanting him to succeed, she'd reluctantly played along. At Station functions, he'd routinely whisked her past certain people, murmuring, "NOCD" his shorthand for – "Not our class dear".

Morgan perched on the edge of his cot. "Bess, these people are strange. Their weird stories and bizarre clothing. They treat their robot like it's some sort of person. And what's even creepier is that in some ways it acts like one. They honestly believed those wild tales they told us."

"I know," she assured him. Not that she didn't believe him, she was just curious. These people claimed to have originated from an Earth that was entirely different from the one she grew up on. She'd love to ask them about it.

"And what I've seen up to this point is that we've been the ones doing stuff for them. Helping them repair their ship…"

Bess almost pointed out that it might be useful to have access to a functional space craft, but then she thought better of it. That type of suggestion could send Morgan off half cocked, destined for trouble.

Instead, she replied, "True, but Danziger said it helped him to get information about them. And wasn't Walman able to squeeze in a little scouting?"

"Yeah, but he didn't find anything. He spent most of his time mooning over that girl. How does all this help us? When's it gonna stop? What's stopping by now gonna prove?"

"That we're good neighbors."

She'd hoped that Morgan of all people understood the importance of allies.

"Besides, I'd love to dive in that pond and really wash my hair." The shoulder length curly auburn ringlets had been tied up and piled on her head for far too long. She was anxious to liberate the hot, heavy mass.

"Let's just hope bleeding heart Devon doesn't do the unthinkable and invite them to join us. All we need are more mouths to feed," he groaned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Day 256

Maureen's intent gaze bore into Dr. Heller. "You're sure she'll be all right?"

Engrossed in her exam, the young doctor didn't answer. Julia was concentrating on the readings from her diaglove. The instrument covered most of her left forearm. She slowly moved the diagnostic tool over Judy's rigid form. Occasionally the screen glowed or the instrument emitted soft tones while Julia manipulated various switches.

The older woman hovered impatiently.

Finally, Julia looked up. "She'll be fine. It's strange for us too. My instruments register no signs of life. But our commander and Morgan both revived after a few days."

Gaal had been the first to alert them to the effects of the Koba's sting. A clever convict, he'd masqueraded as a former astronaut and expertly manipulated True in an attempt to steal Eden Advance's supplies. Fortunately, he hadn't been successful.

Exam completed, Julia studied her surroundings. The Jupiter 2 cabin was spartan as most space vehicles tended to be. Unlike the Eden Advance module which had been predominately constructed with dark metal beams that created a gloomy atmosphere, this ship featured lighter colored materials. Julia wasn't entirely sure what it was constructed from. Fold out bunks were on both sides of the room. Star charts hung on one wall. She was surprised to discover a bookshelf with several paper bound volumes. Those would be considered antiques in her world. Another instrument – a box with spools in it, was foreign in purpose to her.

Despite the room's utilitarian appearance, Julia understood why Morgan would've wanted to sleep here. In addition to the luxury of a climate controlled environment, being in a solid structure provided a sense of security that a tent never would.

She broke out of her reverie, realizing Maureen's eyes were still fixed upon her.

"I don't understand." Her features remained tense.

"It will take a day or so."

She wasn't going to believe it until she'd seen her daughter revive. Julia understood that. She'd done all she could in that respect.

Her mind shifted to questions about the Robinsons. As Alonzo had mentioned, everything about this ship felt strange. Considering that they'd crashed onto this planet, their ship was in remarkably good condition. Meeting the Robinsons hadn't answered any of Julia's questions. It had only increased her curiosity to account for inconsistencies.

She turned to face the woman. "May I examine you?"

Maureen hesitated. "Why?'

"I'm a fully qualified physician. My diaglove is finely calibrated and it might detect anomalies that your technology might have missed. I can make sure that you're healthy. I'll need a blood and bone marrow sample too."

"Isn't that a bit involved? Marrow samples require surgery which can be difficult and painful. Considering that I feel fine, I doubt that's necessary."

"It's a simple procedure with my diaglove," Julia assured her. "You'll barely notice."

Tests on Maureen's blood could help her determine if there were any hallucinogens or psychotropic drugs which could account for their odd stories. Though, after having met the family, Julia was inclined to rule out that hypothesis.

Unfortunately experience had shown that her diaglove couldn't detect small chips or implants that might alter or control behavior. It hadn't detected the small chip implanted in Alex Wentworth's head that had caused her to unknowingly sabotage the Advance module. Later that same chip created a virus which killed her and most of the occupants of the third evacuation pod.

Julia's diaglove hadn't detected the biostat implants either, thin fibers secretly injected into all members of Eden Advance by the Council. Those implants had nearly killed their entire party a few months before when they'd started to malfunction. Poor Ebon Singh had been their first fatality, dying before they'd figured out how to rectify the situation.

Reluctantly, the older woman agreed. She lay on a bunk on the opposite side of the cabin while Julia prepared to draw blood. Once the sample was collected and labeled, the young doctor proceeded to move the instrument over Maureen's midsection.

"Is Dr. Smith your physician?"

She laughed. "I'm afraid not."

"How do you handle medical emergencies?" Julia was intently examining the screen of her diaglove.

"The best we can. My doctorate is in biology. So far we've only had to deal with minor cuts, sprained ankles, minor concussions and Doctor Smith's aching back." Despite herself, she laughed.

How primitive, the thought of such limited resources disturbed Julia. And to think that she'd been complaining that her own supplies were so limited. If one of the Robinsons had fallen ill as Devon had several months before, they would've been helpless.

"There. I've taken the marrow sample," Julia relayed.

"My goodness! I didn't feel a thing. That is an amazing instrument you have. You seem awfully young to be a doctor."

Somewhat defensively, Julia replied, "My parents had my chromosomes skewed to the medical arts."

Julia had been 'created' by her parents, who were members of The Council. It was considered an honor to be part of the elite governing body of the Stations. Her parents had gladly offered her up as a willing sacrifice to the Council – for the good of the many.

Julia had bought into that party line for years. It had brought her on this mission, acting as a covert agent of the Council to monitor the activity of Eden Advance. Only her time on G889 had opened her eyes to the fact that she had a right to live her life as she chose. Since then she had renounced all ties with the Council.

Amazed, Maureen responded, "Our world doesn't have that type of technology – yet."

XXXXX

Day 257

"Hello. Oh, I wish you'd stopped by earlier, you could've joined us for dinner," Maureen Robinson warmly greeted Devon, Danziger, Julia, Alonzo and Yale who were approaching their outdoor dinning table. Most of the family members were still seated about the table, having just finished their meal.

"Thank you. That's very generous," Devon replied. "Actually, we'd like to talk with you."

"Certainly," John Robinson added as he rose from his seat. "I can't tell you how relieved we are to hear that Judy will be all right. I also can't thank you enough for all your help with the ship." He motioned towards Devon, offering his seat to her.

Not used to such gestures, Devon hesitated. "We haven't done much."

Julia reassured them, "Judy ought to revive some time soon."

"Will, run inside to get some extra camp stools for our guests," his mother instructed.

As Will and Penny helped everyone find seats about the table, Danziger asked, "Where's Don?"

"He's sitting by Judy. We've been taking turns," John Robinson answered. "So now that your group has reunited, what are your plans?" he asked Danziger.

Getting irritated, Devon explained, "We're restocking supplies and using the time to scout a path to get our vehicles safely over the mountains. Cameron and Mazatl set out in the Dune Rail this morning."

Baines had been itching to go on that trip, but he couldn't convince Walman to leave camp for that long. Instead he managed to persuade his buddy to take a day trip in the ATV to scout for food. Even that had been a challenge. If Walman had stayed around, he would've made excuses to linger about the Jupiter 2 until Judy woke. Before leaving he'd insisted upon seeing her motionless form. He extracted staunch promises that they'd contact him the moment she revived.

"You're the leader?" John Robinson asked.

Losing patience, Devon Adair assured him a bit too firmly. "_Yes_. I organized this mission. I commissioned scientists to develop technology to help us adapt to life on this planet. I interviewed and hired everyone associated with this project." Coughing muffled her last words.

Danziger had mentioned that the Robinsons had rather antiquated notions about the roles of men and women in society. It irked her that John Robinson gave the mechanic more respect than her.

As the spasm subsided, she explained, "We need to get to New Pacifica as soon as possible to set up a hospital for two hundred fifty families with Syndrome children that will be arriving within a year. About fifteen years ago, a new disease arose on the Stations. Some children were failing to thrive. Their immune systems were severely weakened. The best explanation our scientist could come up with was that the absence of Earth caused this."

Danziger interrupted, "They know all about that Adair. And about the Terrians healing Uly. And that the hospital construction material might not even be there once we arrive at New Pacifica."

Devon's eyes widened. After she'd carefully instructed him not to give detailed information about Eden Advance to this family? What else had he told them?

"We need to tell you about where we came from," Danziger stated.

Her irritation triggered another coughing spell. That man never ceased to annoy her. Devon had never baulked at being the messenger of unsettling news. As the former head of a multi orbit firm, it had been part of the job. She'd planned on addressing the issue. She'd only stalled because she was concerned about the timing and wanted to test the waters first. The Robinson's daughter was still lying prone on her bunk. How much could they handle within a forty-eight hour period? Leave it to Danziger to thoughtlessly blunder ahead.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Grabbing a pitcher, Maureen Robinson poured water into a cup then offered it to her. Devon gratefully accepted. When the coughing died down, she stood.

"Danziger, Walman and Alonzo have told you a little about where we came from. That we've lived on the Space Stations since our planet became so polluted. You've commented on our technology such as Julia's diaglove and our gear. What we haven't mentioned…" She looked towards Yale, the tall bearded black man, her former tutor and close friend. He nodded, encouraging her. "is that….we're from Earth too."

"What?" John Robinson was having trouble believing what he was hearing.

"And that our departure date was….May 2192."

Penny gasped.

Smith cried, "No, it's not possible."

Devon continued, "It's true. People still live on Earth. But…it's not like you remembered."

"We've traveled more than two hundred years into the future!" gasped Smith.

"I'm afraid so."

Continuing to address Danziger, John Robinson insisted, "There should be records of our voyage. Alpha Control invested countless hours and millions of tax dollars into our mission. Other nations even tried to sabotage our efforts."

Devon explained, "We've looked. Yale is a cybernetically enhanced tutor. He has an implant along with library functions that allow him to mentally scan hundreds of data files. There are limited records from that long ago on Earth. None of them contained any references to the Jupiter 2, Alpha Control, or even a space program in general. Most likely this is due to the occurrence of several disasters over that era – wide spread flooding due to global warming, the Faith wars, along with the resurgence of the Black Plague. These nearly wiped out humanity."

John Robinson mused, "I suppose it makes sense. When we went into a hyper drive once before, we were sent back fifty years in time. The records could've been damaged or lost, as you say."

Devon cleared her throat. "There's more." She looked to Julia, the young blonde doctor who nodded. "I'm…not sure how to put this. This planet that our scientists call G889 is twenty two light years away from Earth. It is the most favorable habitable world in the known universe." She paused, hoping that they were understanding.

Julia added. "There are no records of the worlds or alien races you've encountered."

"With so many disasters, perhaps humanity was preoccupied with other matters than proper record keeping. Just because the records aren't there doesn't mean that it didn't happen," John Robinson logically suggested.

"You don't understand." Devon insisted. "Our society has sent out hundreds of probes, exploring distant universes. Our children are starting to die from The Syndrome. We're desperate to find a new planet to call home. Living on overcrowded space stations is far from ideal. We have to go else where for minerals and raw materials. About fifty different mining colonies have been established on various planets. None can sustain life without artificial habitats."

Maureen was catching on. "Then how…"

"How have you managed to survive on so many planets without artificial means? How have you met so many aliens from different advanced societies when the only ones we've encountered have been rather primitive and only on this planet?" Devon voiced all of their thoughts.

"Have you ever heard of a worm hole?" Yale asked.

"Isn't that a distortion in black matter where time and space can be altered? Kinda like a short cut across the universe," Will said.

"Exactly. Though in this case, we think both time and space were altered for you. You could've encountered one of these worm holes or perhaps the hyper drive alone caused both. You're in an alternative universe," Julia explained.

"Preposterous! How can that be?" Dr. Smith protested.

"Yale and I did some tests on Maureen's blood and marrow samples. Originally I was hoping to establish a timeline – to substantiate our theory that you'd traveled forward in time. However the results were ambiguous so I tried something else.

"The levels of certain isotopes in blood or tissue can indicate which planets you've spent time on. Historically most of the standard assays were developed with the idea of determining exposure to environmental hazards or pollutants encountered at mining sites or damaged ecosystems such as Earth. With Yale's vast cybernetic library, we have plenty of standard references."

Due to the deterioration of the ozone layer, most Earth dwellers have higher levels of certain isotopes naturally incorporated into their bodies than Station dwellers. Bess has lived on Earth for most of her life so her levels are significantly higher than Danziger who only spent a brief time during military service. Station dwellers, like myself or Alonzo, that have never set foot on Earth completely lack this isotope," Julia attempted to explain. "We found none in Maureen or Judy's system."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything. We lived on Earth over two hundred years ago, the amounts of those isotopes in the environment were most likely different then," Will pointed out. "Overcrowding was a bigger issue than pollution."

Yale smiled, pleased the boy had been following the conversation so closely. "Excellent point. We used environmental data to extrapolate backward due to our spotty records from that time period."

"Wouldn't that produce a rather broad margin of error? You yourself just said that your records from that era were lacking. That could account for the absence of those substances in our bodies," John Robinson reasoned.

"That's right. The results are surprising but they're also inconclusive." Julia agreed. "But there's more."

Eyes remained fixed upon her.

"When I analyzed Maureen's samples, for the most part, things appeared normal. But additional tests detected a certain substance in your bodies. I compared Judy and Maureen's samples, just to be sure. Our bodies typically break this substance down and then it's excreted as waste. It never builds up. In fact, if this substance were to accumulate in our bodies, it would indicate the onset of disease. Somehow, your bodies aren't metabolizing this substance in the same fashion. Rather than treating it as waste, your bodies are incorporating it in your tissues at a level that would kill one of us. Yet you remain healthy."

Yale added, "There are also similar 'glitches' when we compare technologies. Yesterday I examined your cold sleep chambers and discussed the details of the process with Professor Robinson. In many ways, it's very similar to our process. Yet when I scan my data files on the history of this technology, I find that variations of your system that were developed on the Stations were unsuccessful. In a test run, the procedure you underwent was fatal for subjects originating from the Stations."

"I've seen it with your astrogator too. John, I've worked on lots of ships and I've never seen anything like this unit," Danziger explained.

"What does all this mean, in plain English? Enough of this scientific mumbo jumbo!" Smith demanded, growing paler as the conversation continued.

"Your Earth was similar to our Earth but they were never the same," Yale explained.

John Robinson caught on. "And Alpha Centauri? Does it exist in this universe?" He looked to Danziger, naked hope evident in his eyes.

"No. It doesn't."

"Dad!" Penny gasped.

"Why can't we go back the way we came?" Will insisted. "Can't we simulate the conditions that brought about the hyper drive in the first place? We pulled it off before when we landed on Earth in the past. Remember Dad?"

"That involved time travel only, Will. It wouldn't account for this alternative universe business. We'd have no guarantee. We could end up back in our universe or in one far worse. We might even be killed in the attempt," John Robinson stated. "It's far too risky."

"I agree," Yale added, regretfully. "I have no data that suggest a way around this."

"But what about these changes? Can we survive in this universe with these biological differences?" Maureen pointedly asked Julia.

"I don't know. They seem relatively minor. So far, you appear to be thriving. It doesn't seem likely that it will be an issue," Julia said.

"If we're able to repair the Jupiter 2, can't we just fly back to Earth?" Dr. Smith demanded, eyes gleaming.

"Twenty two light years is a long trip," John Robinson answered.

"We could undergo suspended animation again, Dad, couldn't we? That's what we did when we originally left Earth," Penny suggested.

John rolled his eyes, "And look how well that worked for us. Within eight hours we were thrown off course and almost died in a meteor shower. Besides, your mother had a bad reaction to the process, remember?"

Yale advised Dr. Smith, "Earth is not how you remember it. It does not resemble this planet. It's almost impossible to grow food due to the scorching heat or extreme cold. For the most part, it's a mining community. Many people live in self sufficient domes or underground. Supplies are limited. Most who had any funds left Earth decades ago."

The reality finally hit him. "Earth…glorious Earth…" Dr. Smith droned, in shock. "Never to return… oh the pain." He covered his face with his hands.

"Dad, what are we going to do?" Penny's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Why don't you join us?" Danziger offered.

"What?" Devon was stunned.

"Even if you can repair your ship, there's no place else to go. Trust me, there's no future for you on Earth. We're setting up a colony here, just like you were. You'd be fulfilling your mission – just colonizing a different planet. We could use more good workers," Danziger explained.

"Danziger," Devon sternly warned as she rose.

He continued, "It's not safe for your family alone here. There are penal colonists all over. Our government used this planet as a dumping ground for them. We didn't even tell you about the Z.E.D. units - Zero Emotional Defects. Humans with cyborg implants designed by the Council to capture and torture people for information about this planet. They nearly killed us."

She was going to strangle him if he said one more word. She stepped towards him. Reaching him, she grabbed his arm tightly. "Excuse us a moment."

Devon nearly dragged him away from the group.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once out of sight and ear shot of the Jupiter 2 camp Devon tore into Danziger.

"What are you doing? I told you to be discrete. Then you tell them about penal colonists and Z.E.D.s? What is wrong with you!"

Equally indignant, he responded, "Do you want these people to be picked off? Look at them – they're not criminals. If they'd buried their daughter, she would've been gone for good. This is a hostile planet. They need to know what they're facing.

"Besides, they're good people Adair. Look how trusting they are. They insisted on sharing every meal with us while we stayed with them. Can you imagine if Gaal had tried to infiltrate their camp? He would've had a field day. They wouldn't have stood a chance. And there are potentially dozens of versions of him wandering about this place.

"I don't know if it's their nature or the fact that they're most likely from an alternative universe, but they're practically sitting ducks. You're the one that keeps saying that we need to stick together. That there's safety in numbers."

Her temples were throbbing. It irritated her that he was throwing her words back at her.

"How dare you undermine me. Make such a decision without consulting the group!"

Her disparaging tone alone would've caused others to crumble. Devon Adair had finely honed that technique in board rooms on the Stations – the tone paired with the frosty intimidating glance. High powered executives had folded to her will. But not John Danziger, drone mechanic in the middle of nowhere.

"Funny, I don't recall you having the group vote on the invitation that you extended to Sheppard, your penal colonist chum," was his cool response.

Leave it to Danziger to bring that up.

"And unlike your buddy Sheppard, the Robinsons actually have useful qualities."

"That was different," she snapped, muffling a cough.

She and Sheppard had shared a bond that was difficult to explain. He had dreamed to her on the Stations via the Terrians. He'd heard her cry. He was the one that planted the idea in her head that Planet G889 could heal Uly. Although he was a penal colonist, he'd reformed. Acting as leader, he'd formed a safe haven for other such men, with the caveat that violence wasn't to be tolerated within the confines of their community. John Danziger could never see that he'd changed for the better. Unfortunately, Sheppard had been murdered by his sister before he could join Eden Advance.

"How? You think your judgment is that much better than mine?" he challenged.

Before she could respond, he continued.

"You really think that's what this is about? That I want to be the boss? That I want to take over as leader of this group? That I like power? Let me tell you Adair, who do you think led this sorry bunch when you were to all intents and purposes on ice?

"Who do you think had to make the decision after three weeks had passed to move on? To leave you in cold storage in that ship for god only knows how long. You think that was easy? You think that it was a _popular _decision? How do you think I felt telling that to your kid? You think I enjoyed that? "

Towards the middle of this diatribe his voice changed. She couldn't ignore the strain creeping into it when he spoke of leaving her in the cryo chamber on the deserted ship.

"We got lucky. After a week or two on the road, Julia figured out a way to cure you so we headed back. And it worked.

"Don't kid yourself Adair, you're not the only one who knows what the weight of responsibility feels like."

She didn't like to think about her illness. As a woman who liked to be in control, it frightened her. She wanted to say something but her throat was so irritated it brought on more coughing.

More tenderly, he added, "I don't give a damn about being leader of this group but I will be if you keep this up. Listen to yourself. Let Julia synthesize some meds. You gotta rest up and get this under control. I can't go through this again. Cold sleep syndrome is not something to be taken lightly. Elizabeth and Franklin died from it."

Danziger was being overly dramatic. She was not suffering from Cold Sleep Syndrome. Catching a brief glance of the concern in his eyes, she averted her gaze.

"It's getting worse, you know. You used to only cough in the mornings and evenings. Now it happens whenever you walk and when you're upset. If you won't do it for you, do it for Uly. You ever watch his face when you're having these coughing attacks? Poor kid is scared half to death. Cut him a break."

Maybe he had a point there. Instead of feeling energized each day, her energy level had been steadily declining. She'd thought she could ignore it, simply overcome her symptoms by the force of her will. Danziger was right, it wasn't working.

"Warning, Warning! Aliens approaching!" the robot's voice blared.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **The Robinsons consider Danziger's invitation.

Background information and photos for both shows are posted on my LJ page. PM me and I'd be happy to send links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

**Chapter 7**

Saturday August 13th

"Warning! Warning! Aliens approaching!" The Robot bellowed, red claws waving frantically in the air. Seconds later, four creatures burst out the ground. The tall tan, almost skeletal beings carried staffs glowing with electrical charge.

"Dad!" Penny cried, leaning closer to her father.

"Robot, prepare to defend," John Robinson commanded.

"Affirmative," the Robot replied, electrical charge coursing between his claws.

One of the Terrians began to raise his staff, the electrical charge rising in it as well.

"No! Wait! Don't do this!" Julia rose, objecting.

"These creatures are armed and threatening my camp. I don't intend to let them harm us," John Robinson firmly stated.

"These are the Terrians. We've dealt with them before. Please, give us a chance," Alonzo pleaded. "They're not going to hurt any of us."

John Robinson paused to consider. "All right."

"John," Maureen's voice waivered as she shot a worried glance towards her husband.

"Stand down, Robot."

The Robot obeyed and the Terrian lowered his staff, the charge dissipating.

Odd, garbled sounds came from the creatures.

"Didididididi."

"Robot – can you translate?" John Robinson asked.

"Negative."

"Alonzo – what's going on?" Julia asked.

Alonzo closed his eyes, trying to concentrate.

Julia reminded them, "The Terrians can communicate with him on the Dream Plane."

Perplexed, the Robinsons merely nodded.

"Something's wrong Julia. I'm just not getting anything," the former pilot rubbed his temples.

"That might be because the Dream Plane is damaged," Devon and Danziger rushed over to rejoin the group.

"What are you talking about?" Alonzo asked.

"The other night, Uly told me that the Terrians claimed the Dream Plane in this area was damaged. I wasn't sure whether to believe him or not," Devon explained.

John Robinson was getting frustrated. "What's going on here? What do these Terrians want? What does this 'Dream Plane' have to do with us?"

One of the Terrians stepped closer to Dr. Smith.

"Now I'm beginning to understand," John Robinson said. Turning to the older man, he asked, "What did you do?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dr. Smith feigned innocence while taking several steps back from Professor Robinson.

"Aren't you jumping to conclusions?" Alonzo asked John.

"When it comes to Doctor Smith, I'm afraid not. Now, let's have it. What did you do?" John Robinson demanded.

Dr. Smith continued to be evasive, now hiding behind the bulk of the Robot. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Perhaps Don could be more persuasive." John suggested, knowing full well that the Major was still reeling from Smith's involvement with Judy's accident.

"No, no! We don't need to bring the poor Major into this, do we?" Dr. Smith simpered.

"I think I know what they want," Will volunteered. Turning to the Terrians, he said, "You want the glowing rocks. I'm sorry – I didn't realize they were that important to you. I just wanted to learn more about them – to understand them. I'll go get them."

He and the Robot had almost cracked the code for the stones' language. Hopefully they'd collected enough data so they could complete the project.

Dr. Smith volunteered to help Will.

As the rest of the Robinson family and members of Eden Advance waited for the two to return, Alonzo continued to try to communicate with the Terrians. But his attempts were futile.

Will returned with an insulated sack filled with the glowing stones and placed it at the feet of a Terrian.

"Careful, Will," his mother cautioned.

"Here they are. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

A creature took the bag. Then the Terrians vanished into the earth as quickly as they had appeared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Maureen, what are you still doing up?" John Robinson closed the accordion folded door to the cabin they shared as his wife sat up in her bunk.

"I couldn't sleep."

He sank beside her, perching on the edge of the bunk. "That's understandable, given the circumstances."

"John, do you believe them? Do you think they're right?"

"I don't think they have any reason to deceive us. We've compared technologies and seen the differences. Julia even showed me the results of her assays."

"That doesn't necessarily mean they're right though, does it? Couldn't it just be a result of the difference of two hundred years? Couldn't that account for it?"

"This alternative universe theory does seem rather fantastic. But I can't come up with a more plausible explanation. What's your women's intuition telling you?" he teased.

Despite herself, she grinned. As much as her husband had ribbed her about it, her instincts had proven to be sharp time and time again. "It's prickling all right but I don't know. Their theory might be off or maybe….maybe I just don't want to accept what they're saying."

As she'd tossed on her bunk that evening, she'd tried to reason it out logically, to examine the evidence step by step. But it all kept blurring together.

Straightening her shoulders, she asked, "John, how bad is it? How badly damaged is the astrogator?" She'd suspected that the situation was worse than her husband had let on. She needed to know realistically what their options were.

John exhaled. "I won't lie to you. Don and I, along with Danziger and Alonzo, have worked on it for days. It's not looking promising."

"But we've come through so much before. What's so different about now?"

"I don't know. Maybe the ship is starting to show its age. We've put a lot of wear and tear on it. We can only improvise so far. We're running out of spare parts. Danziger's going to see if their camp has any supplies that might be adaptable but I'm not counting on anything."

"But to leave the ship?" It made her queasy to even say it aloud. "It's been the key to our survival. How could we last without it? It's been the only home we've known for over three years."

"That's right."

"We've survived on dozens of other planets. We've also dealt with hostile aliens before. Is it really all that different here?"

"So I take it you're in favor of going it alone?" Her husband's expression revealed that he was surprised.

Wringing her hands in frustration, "I don't know. There's the children to consider. What's best for their future. Penny and Will are getting older. The fact that Penny had such a difficult time getting along with True worries me. She needs to be able to interact with children her own age. She's been so isolated. Joining Eden Advance and eventually those other families might give her that opportunity - Will too. The two of them deserve a chance at a future with other humans in it."

She wasn't even going to mention her oldest daughter Judy. She'd seen how Judy had taken to Walman and it made her heart ache. She hoped it was a temporary infatuation. While she had nothing against the young man, Major West would always hold a special place in Maureen's heart. That man had proven himself time and time again, defending their family from harm, willingly sacrificing himself for the good of others. Even if things between he and Judy didn't work out, God forbid, Maureen would always consider Don one of her sons.

Her mind continued to weigh the pros and cons. "But then what about these so-called minor variations in our metabolisms? How will we deal with that? Perhaps the Eden Advance people can eat certain foods but they might kill us? Will we need to scrupulously test everything? "

"Like Julia said, so far we haven't experienced any adverse effects. And they might be as minor as being lactose intolerant, per say."

"But these types of changes, even minor ones, can have a huge impact. Look at starch and cellulose."

John's eyebrows rose.

"They're both sugar polymers. Identical in every fashion except one."

He nodded as he remembered. "Only one is held together by an alpha linkage and the other by a beta."

"Which ultimately has an impact on the molecule's structure. That's why we can't digest grass. Our enzymes won't recognize that linkage."

He laid a comforting hand on her knee. "Darling, while that is an excellent analogy, we have no way of anticipating what difficulties we might encounter in this respect on this planet. Judy seemed to react to the Koba toxin in a fashion similar to the Eden Advance crew. And if anything, we might be hardier. Remember what Yale said about the cold sleep experiments?"

"That's true. But what about Will and Penny? If they eventually decide to marry a person from this universe, will they be biologically compatible? Will their children be viable?"

Her temples pounded. She leaned against her husband's chest and he wrapped his arms about her.

She was getting way ahead of herself, worrying about these issues. But that was her job as a parent. To fully examine all the possibilities. To determine the best possible options for her family.

Her husband reminded her, "No situation is perfect. There will always be risks. Even if we had landed on Alpha Centauri as we'd originally intended, things wouldn't necessarily have gone as we'd planned."

"I know," she replied.

"You make a good point about the benefits for the children. But do you realize how primitive Eden Advance's circumstances are? Although they have more advanced technology, they're essentially walking across this continent. No heat, no central air. No hydroponic garden or automated galley. No washing machine or clothing synthesizer. If we joined them, we'd have to leave behind many valuable pieces of equipment. Equipment up to now which has been essential to our survival. Equipment which, if abandoned, could eventually be stolen by those Grendler creatures.

"If we stayed with the ship, even if it couldn't fly, our force field would protect us. Moving as a group, we'd be much more vulnerable. If we joined their party we'd also have no guarantee that we'd even make it to the settlement site. And even then, they might never find their missing cargo pods which have the supplies to build their community."

"And this 'Council' group," Maureen had only caught a few references but her impression was that it was a formidable force. "That's not our fight."

"That's right. But if that group is as intent on dominating this planet as Danziger says, it could become ours, regardless of the option we chose."

Weary, she closed her eyes, "I'm not making any decisions now." She snuggled closer to her husband.

As he stroked her red locks, he reminded her, "We did commit to a mission, darling. To become pioneers. To colonize Alpha Centauri."

Uncharacteristically glum, she sighed, "Does that even matter? Most likely, Alpha Centauri and Earth as we knew them don't exist anymore."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sunday August 14th

Judy's heart did a familiar flip flop when she saw Don. At first he hadn't seen her; she was seated at the outdoor dining table. His shoulders were hunched; he appeared deep in thought as he shuffled towards their camp site. When he caught sight of her, his appearance rapidly altered. Filled with renewed energy, the cadence of his steps grew quicker, his shoulders straightened. Worry lines were replaced with a broad grin as his eyes met hers.

"Hey, you're a sight for sore eyes," Don claimed.

"Hey," She beamed. The dark smudges under his eyes caused a warm rush to fill her. He'd been scared. He'd missed her. He really loved her. The heady surge of emotion coursing through her reminded her of when they'd first met, years ago at Alpha Control. His rugged good looks and confident attitude had irresistibly drawn her to him.

When he reached her, he paused. At first she'd thought he was going to embrace her. She would've enjoyed that. Instead, he stopped and simply grasped her forearm.

"Thank God you're okay. How long have you been awake? How 're you feeling?" He pulled up a stool beside her.

"Tired. But okay."

Only a few hours ago, when she'd finally woken, Penny had greeted her with tremendous enthusiasm and a hug that nearly took her breath away. Dad and Don had been working at the drill site most of the morning, unaware that she'd finally revived.

"It's great to have you back. I could strangle Smith for letting this happen to you," Don said, anger starting to build.

Judy was so pleased to see him that she could overlook his temper. Fortunately, Don also changed the subject.

"Did Maureen tell you about everything that's happened?"

She nodded. "I feel like I'm still dreaming. It all sounds so crazy. It's going to take a while for all this to sink in."

More skeptically, Don said, "Well, I'm not so sure about it."

"Why?"

"C'mon Judy, if we joined Eden Advance, they'd get to use our gear – the Chariot, the force field, our lasers… Wouldn't they'd just love to get their hands on our ship."

She stiffened. "And you think that's why they've been helping us?"

Had Don always been this paranoid? At one point she'd found his fierce protectiveness to be sweet. Now it felt stifling.

Slightly embarrassed, he responded. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." Suddenly the pleasure she'd felt upon seeing him evaporated. She was looking forward to seeing Mark Walman who was presently en route to their camp.

"We don't need them. We've been fine on our own. They're just trying to scare us with their stories about penal colonists and Z.E.P.s or…whatever they're called."

"It's not about that Don."

"We have a mission Judy. One which _I_ take seriously."

"Even when it's no longer possible to achieve?"

Disgusted, she rose to return to the space ship.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow, that's really neat. Penny! You gotta come see this."

Will was seated on a crate by Yale, examining a holographic projection that emanated from the man's arm. His left forearm had a cybernetic implant embedded within it.

The Robinsons had come to visit Eden Advance's camp. His mother and father were deep in conversation with Devon, Danziger and a few others while Walman was eagerly escorting Judy about the camp. Don and Dr. Smith chose to remain behind at the Jupiter 2.

"Yale's pretty great, isn't he? He teaches us all our lessons," said Uly, a young boy with curly brown hair.

"Our Robot does that for us," Penny fondly looked toward the silver mechanical man that was standing nearby.

As they examined Yale's projection, although there was intermittent static interference, they could clearly see a planet. Unlike G889, the oceans seemed brown. In many areas, heavy pollution clogged the atmosphere, obscuring their view of the planet's surface.

"Wow," Penny commented. "What planet is that? I don't think we've been there."

Yale prompted, "Are there any features that look familiar?" Turning his attention to Uly, he advised, "Don't tell them. Give them some time."

Both Penny and Will studied the projection.

"I would've remembered a system that was that badly damaged. Is this one of those worlds where people can only exist in artificial environments?" Will asked.

"Not necessarily."

Penny's expression froze. "It can't be. That…that looks like the Gulf of Mexico. Or maybe I'm just projecting what I'm used to seeing?"

"No Penny. You are correct. It is the Gulf of Mexico," Yale explained.

"But…where's Florida?" Will asked, more closely scrutinizing the projection.

"Erosion and flooding destroyed it about a hundred years ago. California too."

"Oh." Tears were in Penny's eyes. Even though it had been explained to her yesterday, seeing her world in such chaos was disturbing.

Will had a different reaction. "Can you show us more?"

"What would you like to see?"

"How about some landmarks? The Statue of Liberty?"

Will fondly remembered his parents taking the family there. The hustle and bustle of the huge city had both frightened and excited him. Although he'd only been five years old, he'd eagerly clambered to the top of the statue, leaving his sisters and parents far behind.

"Where was that now?"

Will had a sinking feeling. "New York, New York."

"Ah, yes." Yale produced a new holograph. Will recognized Lady Liberty's torch and crown. But the ocean level was up to her chin.

"Oh," Penny murmured.

"How about, how about.." Will thought, "The Grand Canyon?"

Yale produced another hologram. Familiar chasms greeted them.

"Wow," Uly said. "That's amazing."

"At least that looks the same." Penny said, relieved.

"No Penny, it's not. Can you zoom in on the surface?" Will asked.

"Certainly."

"What are those?" Penny asked. The rim and ground of the canyon were covered with small clusters of people, tents and equipment.

"Miners," Yale answered. "That's all we can get from Earth. Minerals and ores are the most valuable commodity it has to offer. The only plant life that thrives is inedible weeds. Scientists have been able to cultivate a type of seaweed that can tolerate the high pH of the oceans. It's not very tasty, but many on Earth survive on it."

"I don't want to do this anymore," Penny said.

Uly changed the subject. "Will you be joining us?" The young boy seemed excited by the prospect.

During the conversation, True had joined the group and was listening closely.

"I don't know," Will answered. "It's up to Dad."

"It wasn't a real invitation anyway. The group didn't vote on it," True claimed.

"True, that's not very nice" Yale scolded. "After all it was your father who issued the invitation. I'm sure the others will want to include your family," he assured Will and Penny.

"Well, I hope you join us. It would be great to have another boy in the group," Uly beamed.

True and Penny exchanged guarded glances, not sharing the same sense of anticipation.

"You know you're not gonna run into any circus performers or giant talking carrots here. A penal colonist nearly killed all us when we first got here. Then we almost died twice from unknown diseases," True claimed.

"True," Yale warned.

"You're just making that up to try to scare us," Penny retorted.

"Am not."

"Are too."

"If you girls can stop bickering, maybe we can play a game of baseball?" Will looked hopefully towards Uly. "You do still play that?"

"Oh, yeah, I've seen holos of it. I've never been able to play it before," Uly replied.

True was still annoyed. "And you still can't, silly. We don't have a bat and ball."

"We do," Will grinned. "I can run back to camp and get them."

"Can I come too?" Uly asked.

"Sure."

As they started walking, Uly said, "I'd better check in with my mom."

"Okay. The Robot can come with us too. C'mon!"

The mechanical man lumbered towards them.

The two boys and the Robot crossed the Eden Advance campsite. Other than a command station comprised of stacks of computer units, the camp could've been from Will's time. Multiple tents varying in size and color filled the valley, with occasional makeshift clothes lines draped with clothing. People milled about.

Perhaps they weren't so different after all. Hadn't they learned that with their vast encounters with aliens?

"How do you cook your meals?"

Uly explained, "We all take turns. There's not much to them. Hey, Morgan."

The thin man scowled at the boys and continued past muttering under his breath as he walked by, "The last thing we need is more mouths to feed…"

"Don't worry about him. He's weird," Uly assured Will.

The boys passed Judy and Walman who were seated by a large pit presumably used for a communal camp fire and as a gathering space. They were laughing and talking with the black man called Baines along with another man and woman.

"How many people are in your group anyway?" Will asked.

"Fifteen. Used to be seventeen. The Commander died shortly after the crash. Ebon died a few months ago," Uly explained.

"Gosh."

"Hey, there's my mom. Let's try to catch her," Uly lead them towards the med tent where he'd just seen Devon enter. They paused at the entrance to the tent.

"What do you mean it's still damaged?" Devon demanded. "They gave back the sunstones."

Obviously frustrated, Julia responded, "Alonzo isn't getting any thing. I don't know what's going on. I suspect that the sunstones are a vital component of the Dream Plane so it should've been enough."

Devon began to pace. "This isn't good. We need to find out what's going on. Could the Robinson's drilling operation be disturbing the Terrians?"

"Devon, I just don't know," Julia insisted.

"We can't let the Robinsons jeopardize our relationship with the Terrians."

The boys stepped back.

"She seems kinda busy," Uly apologized.

"We'll be back before they can miss us," Will assured him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Smith lounged on his bunk in his cabin. A glowing orange sample of Lunite rested on some silver insulated fabric beside the crook of his arm. His mind had vacillated between utter despair that his beloved Earth no longer existed and defiant disbelief. Finally, rather than dwelling on the potentially debilitating loss of his home planet, instead he choose to scheme, trying to determine how to weasel his way off of this planet.

While he enjoyed the company of Will and the Robot, it was nice to have a quiet afternoon for a change. Normally he would've been thrilled to needle the Major. Obviously in a foul mood, the man had made as much noise as possible as he went about his attempts at repairing the navigation system, banging tools loudly and even swearing from time to time. The fact that Mark Walman had arrived that afternoon to escort the Robinsons to the Eden Advance camp certainly hadn't helped matters. The Major's jealousy was pitifully obvious.

It was sorely tempting to bait the pathetic man but after Judy's near death experience, even Zachary Smith realized how foolhardy that would be. Staying out of the Major's path was in his best interests.

Back to more important issues. A plan, yes, he needed a plan. He gingerly patted his precious Lunite for inspiration. Will hadn't noticed that he'd slipped one of the glowing stones from the bag the night before. Since the Terrians wanted the rocks so badly, they must have value to them. How could he exploit that?

The Terrians seemed a rather primitive species. Most likely they lacked space travel technology so there would be no bargaining for a ship. Yet could he negotiate with the beasts? Get them to give him whatever delicacies this wretched planet might have to offer to make his stay here more palatable?

There was that dreadful language barrier – what a royal pain. Somehow he'd rarely had to deal with that in the past. It had only become a stumbling block at this cursed place. All the more reason to leave. He'd have to get that tin-plated ninny working on decoding the language right away.

Then again, were they really marooned here? All that talk about the astrogator being damaged beyond repair might simply be the Major grandstanding for attention. What better way to impress Judy than by seeming to do the impossible?

An alternative universe? Utter nonsense.

"You missed out on a lovely visit at the Eden Advance camp. " Maureen entered his room. "Are you ready for supper?"

Sitting up straighter on his bunk, he replied, "My dear woman, I'm simply famished."

"Dr. Smith," her tone had drastically changed. She'd seen his Lunite sample.

"Oh, this? It's nothing, really," he tried to move the sample behind his back.

"We have to tell Eden Advance about this. Right away. No wonder they still can't talk with the Terrians."

"Can't we do it tomorrow?" He yawned. "I've had such a busy day."

"I think not," was her stern response.

"But it will be dark soon," Smith whined.

"That is not my problem. You should've returned this rock yesterday and you know it."

"It's only one rock. Where's the harm?" He tried to justify his actions.

"Doctor Smith, can you ever look beyond yourself? We might not be able to leave this planet. We're trying to forge a relationship with these people. One built upon mutual trust. How will they trust us if we're not honest with them?"

Dejected, he stood.

"Can't I have my supper first?"

"Doctor Smith," Maureen glowered.

"But I'm hungry. Certainly you wouldn't begrudge a man a few morsels to sustain himself?"

She didn't budge.

"Can't I bring someone with me? You heard Mr. Danziger talk about penal colonist and such. It could be dangerous."

Maureen held her ground. "You need to tell Eden Advance about this. Now."

"But it will be dark soon and I don't know the way. What if I run into a Terrian or one of those hideous Grendler creatures?"

She sighed impatiently. Normally she wouldn't have given such talk a second thought. Yet after nearly losing Judy and encountering the enigmatic Terrians, she was inclined to be more cautious. "This planet does seem to be more hazardous. We'll need to discuss this with John."

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Eden Advance is not pleased about Dr. Smith's deception. Members from both groups attempt to repair the Dream Plane. Background information for both shows is posted on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to send links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

**Chapter 8**

(Alonzo Solace)

_Of course, the biggest topic of discussion that night was the Robinsons. Their odd clothing and manner of speaking. Their primitive technology. Yet, despite these differences, I liked the Robinsons. I didn't understand why I felt hesitant about inviting them to join us. _

_Perhaps I sensed that John Robinson was used to being the leader and might be reluctant to become a mere follower, especially in a group composed of such diverse individuals. Half of the Eden Advance members had been slated for cargo drop only. While some had changed their minds, others were still hell bent on getting off of this planet, regardless of the cost. _

_John Robinson's initial reaction to the Terrians revealed he had a 'shoot now and ask questions later' approach to life that might not work well on this planet. Ask Commander O'Neill, the living embodiment of eminent domain. While seeking to claim what he felt was rightfully his, he was killed._

_Would the Robinsons adapt to this planet or would they expect to change it to suit their purposes? Would they respect the Terrians and work within their parameters? Did they truly understand that by following their guidelines that those Syndrome kids might have a chance at life that wasn't possible any other way? _

_The Robinsons were hard workers, no doubt about that. They'd pitch in and do their fair share. Even Don, who hadn't been getting a fair shake at life on this planet, was more than willing to get dirty and do what needed to be done. Doctor Smith - that was an entirely different story. According to their stories he would be ten times worse than Morgan Martin with little hope of reform. _

_What type of trouble would he cause for us? How would we keep him in line? Would the Robinsons approve of our methods? Somehow I didn't think our group would be as tolerant of his behavior as the Robinsons were._

XXXXXXXXXX

Day 259

"What are you doing up so early, Adair? Shouldn't you be resting?" Danziger asked, arching his shoulders.

Before he'd had a chance to grab what meager rations passed for breakfast, Devon had drawn him away from the others to speak privately. Seated on the ground on a hillside, the sun's rays actually felt invigorating rather than oppressive as they would later that day.

"I know," she replied.

In fact, she was tired. The meds Julia synthesized had only served to intensify her exhaustion. However her concerns about the Dream Plane and the Robinsons wouldn't allow her to rest.

Knowing the direct approach usually worked best, she came out and told him.

"I don't think we can bring the Robinsons along with us."

"What? What do you mean? We made those people promises," Danziger reminded her.

Obviously conflicted, she answered. "I know. But we've made other promises as well."

"What are you talking about? This isn't like you. It isn't right to treat people this way."

"Don't you think I know that? Do you think I want to do this?" she snapped. "I think the Terrians are angry with the Robinsons because they took sunstones."

"I don't buy that. We took sunstones and they're still talking to us. We saw the Robinsons give the stones back last night. The boy was curious, that's all. You're reading too much into this. There might be a totally unrelated reason for the problems with the Dream Plane."

"But it's still damaged. Alonzo can't make contact. What about the Robinson's drilling? Maybe they've done irreparable damage and the Terrians will never forgive them."

"Maybe. Maybe not." He wasn't convinced.

She tried to clarify, "If we associate with the Robinsons, maybe the Terrians won't want to associate with us anymore."

"Yeah?" He shrugged. Danziger had never been fond of the Terrians.

"Don't you remember Mary?" she asked with some urgency.

Mary was an orphaned child they'd encountered while at their winter camp site – the Biodome. Considered to be radicals by the Council, Mary's parents were exiled on planet G889. When they were killed by outcast Terrians, toddler Mary was taken in and raised by the creatures. Currently a teenager, her Terrian abilities were much more pronounced than Uly's. Not only could she speak with the Terrians in their language, she could also travel through the earth as smoothly as they did and even use the lightening that emanated from their staffs.

Several months ago, when Bess and Morgan petrified a kilometer of earth using a geolock device, they'd also mistakenly immobilized a Terrian. When Mary had intervened to help them, the Terrians expelled her.

"They took away Mary's Terrian abilities," she half whispered, not wanting to vocalize her worst fear.

During the first few weeks on the planet, they'd already seen that when the Terrians were threatened, Uly's health regressed. Somehow his well being and the Terrians were connected to the planet. She couldn't bear for him to be sick again.

Danziger's features softened, finally understanding the source of her concern. He put an arm about her shoulder. "We're not gonna let that happen."

His touch was comforting. Rather than shrug it off, she let his arm stay where it was.

"How? How can we stop it?"

"Let's talk with the Robinsons. Tell them what's going on. They're decent, reasonable people. Almost as idealistic as you are, Devon. Maybe that's partly why I like them. Nobody wants Uly to regress. We'll figure something out."

They sat quietly for several moments.

Devon was concerned about that arm still resting on her back. Was she allowing something that she might not be able to see through? She didn't know what the future held. She only had enough energy to focus on keeping Uly safe and getting the colony set up for those Syndrome Children. Did Danziger understand that?

Then again, shouldering such a heavy burden was draining her, especially in her weakened state. Perhaps it would be okay to allow him to help.

"Feeling any better?" he asked.

"A little. The meds are helping."

"You need to take it easy. Get your strength back," he gently reminded.

"I know, I know," her protests lacking their former vigor.

"You know, you shouldn't worry so much about Uly. He's a good kid. A little freedom is good for him."

Yesterday afternoon she'd been terrified when she couldn't find him about camp. In a panic, she'd rallied Danziger and Yale to help her locate him only to learn that he'd gone off with Will to get baseball equipment from the Jupiter 2.

"C'mon John, with all the experiences we've had? You would've panicked too."

"Not before I checked the entire camp first. He told Yale where he was going. And he was with Will Robinson and his robot."

"I suppose," she reluctantly agreed.

"Did you see them playing? They had a great time. Even Yale, Judy and Walman joined in."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is this some kind of a joke? You deliberately did something wrong and now you think everything's gonna be okay just because you said you're sorry?" Baines couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Dr. Smith, Major West, and the entire Robinson family, plus robot, had returned to their campsite that morning. Everyone had gathered about to hear Dr. Smith's 'announcement'. From the angry looks Mrs. Robinson was shooting at the older man, it was apparent that his so-called apology wasn't genuine.

"Yes." Dr. Smith cowered under the harsh scrutiny of the entire Eden Advance crew.

"Great, just great." Julia threw up her hands in the air.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Walman grilled the man.

"I told you people, didn't I? What else can I do?" Dr. Smith tried to weasel his way out. He seemed to feel that he'd done all he could.

"The problem hasn't been fixed. I say he should return the stone to the Terrians - by himself." Walman wasn't feeling especially charitable towards the man after his involvement with Judy's accident.

Other voices chimed in, agreeing.

"But, I'm frightened." Dr. Smith whined. "I don't know anything about these creatures. I simply can't do it alone."

"Maybe you should've thought of that before you deliberately kept one of the stones for yourself," Devon stated, surprising herself.

"Can he be trusted not to mess it up?" Baines asked.

Maureen Robinson objected. "Look here. Doctor Smith has his flaws. Believe me, I'm well acquainted with them. Just the same he deserves to be treated with respect as a fellow human being."

Baines rolled his eyes.

"What are we going do?" Julia asked.

"I don't understand why you're so concerned about this Dream Plane and the Terrians. Aren't you just traveling through this territory? Isn't this a temporary situation? " John Robinson asked.

"It's not that simple. The Terrians are somehow linked to the planet," Julia started to explain when a Terrian rose from the ground directly in front of Dr. Smith. Using his staff, he beckoned towards the man.

"Didididi."

Most looked towards Alonzo. "I…I don't know."

"He wants you to follow him," Uly explained. Many heads turned in surprise towards the boy.

"All alone?" Dr. Smith was terrified. "I can't."

Alonzo stepped forward. "I'm going too. I want to know what's going on."

Julia eagerly rose to accompany him.

"Can I go too, Dad?" Will asked.

"No son, I don't think that's a good idea," his father explained while adjusting his side arm.

"But I've been studying the rocks and I've learned a lot about them. The Robot and I could help. I just know it," Will insisted.

"Come along then," John Robinson agreed, while walking over to join the others by the Terrian. Looking over his shoulder, he assured his wife, "We'll be back soon."

"What about me? I'm part Terrian. I can help too," Uly urged.

"No way, young man. You're staying right here where I can keep on eye on you," Devon firmly stated.

"Devon, he has a good point. His Terrian attributes will be useful. You just saw that he can communicate with this one while I can't. I'll keep an eye out for him. We'll keep in constant contact over gear," Alonzo promised.

Devon was clearly torn. Danziger lightly touched her shoulder. "He'll be okay. Right, 'Lonz?" In a lower tone he added, "Gotta give him some room."

Meeting Uly's eager eyes, she reluctantly nodded. He rushed to hug her then sprinted to join the group who were already on their way out of the camp. Members from both teams rapidly disappeared over the ridge, following the Terrian.

XXXXXX

Devon and Danziger brought Maureen and Don to the communication area to monitor the exploration via gear while the girls visited with Walman. It wasn't a highly sophisticated set up - several monitors were placed on crates underneath an awning to offer some protection from the weather. Before long, Morgan and Baines stopped by.

"Are you sure Doctor Smith isn't going to mess this up?" Morgan asked. He'd heard multiple stories about the man's hair brained schemes.

Maureen was offended. "My husband would never allow that."

"This guy has a history of this type of behavior? Not following the rules?" Baines was indignant. "If he's a danger to others can we afford that risk?"

Baines was referring to more than this day's events.

Maureen's mouth hung open. "He's a human being. We can't just leave him."

"He'd do it to us in a second. You know that," Don pointed out. "He's always only been out for himself."

"But that doesn't make it right, does it? Part of what makes us human is showing mercy," Maureen explained.

Don grumbled.

Devon took the opportunity to try to convey her fears to Mrs. Robinson. "You don't understand. We can't risk him messing up our relationship with the Terrians. There's too much at stake."

"Come now. Doctor Smith made a mistake. He's giving the stone back. What else can they expect?" Maureen replied.

"The Terrians don't think like us. We've struggled to develop a relationship with them. They healed my son. It is my fervent hope that they'll heal those two hundred fifty Syndrome children which are arriving on that colony ship. It's their only chance. I can't jeopardize that. I just can't." Devon explained, becoming more passionate.

Maureen wasn't intimidated by the other woman's determination. "I understand that. But don't the Terrians understand the universal concepts of forgiveness and love?"

"I…don't know." Considering that they'd banished Mary, who was essentially their foster child, for helping them through their own crisis, and had even removed her Terrian attributes. "I don't think so."

Baines interjected, "I don't like what I'm hearing. This guy sounds like a loose canon. He could endanger us all."

Don laughed, "Don't you think we know that? He's the one that caused us to crash on this planet in the first place."

"Doctor Smith is weak. No one would deny that. But in some ways, aren't we all? Don't we all have a little Smith in us? Minor weaknesses that creep up from time to time? Don't we as a humane society have an obligation to protect the weak?" Maureen challenged.

"Not if they intentionally behave in ways that endanger the entire group," Devon responded.

"What about the quality of mercy?"

Devon stared at Maureen, not used to being challenged, especially by another woman.

The red haired matriarch explained, "A civilization isn't judged by the height of its buildings or the amount of money its economy generates. The ultimate measure of its achievement is how it values life. When all mankind isn't valued, then no life is valued.

"Doctor Smith has his faults. I can assure you, I'm well acquainted with them. But to cast him out would be impossible. What type of a civilization abandons the old or the sick? Or the weak?

"What type of civilization only values the strong? Look at your own journey. You've come a great distance and taken such great risks for the fate of weak children. You couldn't abandon them.

"You know I'm right. "

XXXXXXXX

As the Terrian lead the group into the cavern, Will whispered to his father, "We didn't find the rocks here."

"I don't know, son. Let's just see what it wants," he replied.

The cavern was dark so they paused to fish luma lights from their backpacks. Alonzo offered a spare to John Robinson. They walked single file in the narrow tunnel, the robot barely scraping by. Occasionally they would reach a larger more spacious chamber, and then once again it would lead to a smaller tunnel where they'd need to duck to avoid hitting their heads on intermittent low spots.

"I simply must rest," Dr. Smith tried to stop but Alonzo nudged him forward.

"He doesn't understand that." More sympathetically he added, "Hopefully it won't be much farther."

Finally they entered a chamber which was brightly illuminated by the glow of the orange rocks.

"Wow." Will elbowed Uly who was equally impressed.

The Terrian stared at Dr. Smith and then pointed to one of the chamber walls, crammed with glowing rocks.

"I…I don't know what to do," Dr. Smith cried.

"Why don't you try putting your rock with the others?" Julia suggested.

Dr. Smith removed his rock from the insulated sack and placed it beside the others. No change was evident.

"Is anything happening?" Julia asked Alonzo.

"I'm not getting anything."

Suddenly three other Terrians burst through the chamber walls. John Robinson clutched his laser pistol tightly yet refrained from raising it. "What's going on?"

"Didididididi"

Terrian garble filled the air. The Terrians spoke with each other. The pitch and speed of the speech suggested they were agitated.

Julia looked to Alonzo, but he merely shrugged. "Uly?"

"There's something wrong with the rocks. They want us to fix it," Uly interpreted. "That must be why the Dream Plane isn't working."

"How?" Julia asked, frustrated. "We've returned all of the stones. What now?"

"Maybe I can help," Will volunteered.

Will seemed like a nice kid but what would he know of the Terrians?

"Thanks but…" Julia answered.

"The Robot and I figured out the language of Lunite."

Confused looks greeted him.

"The glowing stones vibrate – they're communicating to each other in harmonic frequencies."

"What?"

How could this be? If it were that simple, Julia would've determined this long ago. She'd analyzed samples with her instruments. Her technology was far more sophisticated than that simple robot.

"Robot, can you study the rocks and interpret what they're saying?" Will asked.

The unit moved closer to the chamber wall.

"They are not speaking in harmony. This wall is vibrating in one tone." He emitted a high C, "while this other section is vibrating in another." He emitted a low D.

"What does that mean?" John Robinson asked his son.

"During our experiments, the Robot and I noticed that if two rocks with different frequencies were in contact with one another, they would adjust to the same one, a pitch in between. Maybe the Robot can simulate the tone of one group, while moving closer to the other group. Do you mind if I try?" Will asked Alonzo and Julia.

"I don't see any harm." Julia was doubtful, yet this planet had surprised her before. Who would've believed that polar opposite spiders would've controlled a tunnel that could fold time and space?

The robot moved closer to one wall. He produced a pitch and sustained it for a few minutes.

"Robot, is anything happening?" Will asked.

"Negative. Both remain at different pitches."

"What else can we try?" Julia asked.

"No, wait!" Will interrupted. "The rocks needed to be in physical contact with each other for the effect to take place." Grabbing the insulated bag from Dr. Smith, he selected a glowing rock from one wall then brought it to the other. "Is anything happening?" he asked the Robot.

"Negative."

"Maybe they need a little help. Robot, can you make the same sound as the rock you're holding while maintaining contact with the other wall?"

"Affirmative."

They waited.

Julia was restless. This didn't seem like a viable idea and they needed to discuss more practical options. She didn't like the way the Terrians sounded. Maybe it was her imagination, but they sounded angry. The Terrians didn't understand that they had no idea why the rocks were damaged. Perhaps she could convince Uly to try to convey that to them.

"The pitch is starting to change," the robot reported.

"Does that mean anything?" Julia asked Uly.

"Didididididididiid"

"Yeah, it does!" Uly answered. "They can hear a difference. I think it's working!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is the Dream Plane really fixed?" Julia snuggled closer to Alonzo. The two lovers were intertwined beneath a thin blanket on a cot in the MedTent.

Closing his eyes, he grinned. "Yeah, we did it. We helped the Terrians."

Apparently the problems with the Dream Plane had nothing to do with the Robinsons. Yet it had even taken the Terrians a while to figure that out. All they knew was that the trouble had started about the time that Will and Dr. Smith had taken some stones. So they monitored them, in a sense testing the Robinsons, seeing if they were hostile or friendly. What would they do with the sunstones? Once the Terrians were aware of the damage to the Dream Plane, they believed that recovering the stones would be sufficient for its repair.

But it was more complicated than they understood. Somehow the sunstones in that region had been damaged. Communication that had naturally occurred between them had been disrupted so they couldn't propagate the Dream Plane. Will Robinson's theory of contact between the rocks to facilitate their communication, along with the robot amplifying the signal had been all that was needed to repair the damage.

Sensing the tension in her body, he turned to face her and ask, "Why aren't you happy about it?"

"I am. It's just… I don't understand. It was so simple. Why couldn't I figure it out?"

Her technology was far more sophisticated than the simple circuitry of the Robinson robot. Yet he and Will had broken the code while she hadn't.

"C'mon, Julia, does that really matter?" Then he realized that it did to her. "Sometimes it's a matter of your point of view. It allows you to see things in ways others haven't."

"I suppose," she begrudgingly agreed.

Trying to cheer her up, he mentioned, "I'm sure Will and the robot wouldn't have been able to figure out Devon's illness."

"That's for sure." It had taken her over two months of non-stop research to identify the causative agent. It could've been a completely novel agent unique to G889 or some virus from the Stations that had survived the rigors of suspended animation. And then, devising a treatment that wouldn't kill the patient? It had tested her to her limits.

"You know, it could be useful for the group - seeing things from a different perspective. I had several meals with the Robinsons and I noticed they ate several things that we hadn't considered as food sources. They also used some plants for seasoning and it was a wonderful improvement. Don and John had some unusual ideas when it came to mechanics too."

"You want the Robinsons to join us?"

"Sure, why not?"

"What about Dr. Smith?" Julia wasn't impressed by his behavior and the stories she'd heard about him. Morgan Martin could be hard enough to deal with. "He seems a little old to change his ways. He could be difficult."

"I don't know. The group will have to discuss pros and cons."

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Background information and photos for both shows are posted on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to send links. If you're reading, I'd love to hear from you.

The Robinsons reach a decision about joining Eden Advance. But have Dr. Smith's selfish actions ruined this opportunity?

**Chapter 9**

Tuesday August 16th

"They'd never suggest that," John Robinson claimed. "They're reasonable people." He took another sip of his morning coffee. The family was seated about their outdoor dining table eating breakfast.

"They most certainly did. You weren't there, John. It was clearly implied," Maureen retorted. "I've already made it perfectly clear that we would never consider leaving Doctor Smith behind."

"Thank you my dear madam. You're a voice of sanity in the din of chaos," Dr. Smith replied, with relief. He returned to attacking his greens with renewed gusto.

"Why are we even discussing this? We might be able to repair the astrogator. I'm trying something new today," Don pointed out.

"And where would we go once the ship was repaired?" John asked.

"Do you believe what they said about Alpha Centauri?"

"I have no reason not to. With all the troubles they've had on this planet, it certainly would've been easier to pick a different one to colonize. Yet they didn't. They've dealt with multiple obstacles even before leaving their stations. They certainly believe there are no other habitable planets. Why travel twenty two light years away from home if you don't have to? Don, I believe them," John Robinson answered.

Don countered, "Even if this is a different universe, even with their more advanced technology, they don't know everything about it. If the ship was ready to fly, we could explore. Maybe find this universe's equivalent of Alpha Centauri."

"How do you know this isn't it?" John asked, with a slight grin.

"I don't," Don admitted. "But we don't have to decide anything now."

"Eden Advance will be leaving once they scout out a route for their vehicles. If we want to become a part of their group, time is a factor," Maureen reminded them.

"C'mon, we don't need them. We have all that we need right here. We've done this before, dozens of times," Don insisted.

"The Major is right," Dr. Smith said. "Who wants to leave the comforts of the space ship to walk across this dismal planet with veritable strangers? Not I."

"I didn't say it would be easy. But what about the children?" Maureen emphasized. "This would give them a chance at a future with others their age. There are two hundred fifty families on the colony ship. That's a real chance at re-starting civilization. Even in our original plan, we'd hoped to meet up with other colonists by now."

"I don't care about being with other people. I'm happy with the family," Penny stated.

"Me too," said Will. "Though, it would be fun getting to know Uly better."

"Baah. Some of those Eden Advance people weren't very pleasant at all," Dr. Smith complained, miffed by their treatment of him. "That Baines fellow was down right rude."

"Maybe you feel that way now, Penny. But it will be different when you're older," Judy advised her sister. "Don't you want to go to dances and meet boys?"

"Wouldn't you love to play baseball with other children?" his mom asked Will.

Her husband chided his wife, "Darling, that's not realistic. There'd be a lot of hard work involved. It would be a while before we developed the finer aspects of civilization like dances and organized sports."

"Whatever option we choose will involve hard work," Maureen answered. "What do you think, Judy?"

"I want to do it. It's exciting meeting new people and I'd love to become part of a bigger group again."

"Society is over-rated. John, even though those people are our race, there have been big changes over those years. Danziger told me they don't marry forever. They have contracts and term limits," Don scoffed.

"Oh," Maureen frowned. "Well, I suppose whatever culture we try to integrate with, there will be issues."

"Of all the planets we've been on life seems most different here. Sure it resembles Earth the most in physical appearance. It's a beautiful place, I won't argue about that.

"Over the last three years we've faced all sorts of monsters, been threatened by aliens, yet life here seems far more sinister. Look at what we've already gone through with Judy. And those Terrians? I don't know what to make of them," Don reminded them.

Trying to curry favor, Smith added, with enthusiasm, "I completely agree, dear Major."

Don frowned and deliberately moved his chair further away from the man.

"Couldn't we stay at the space ship and maybe the families could find us later once they're established at New Pacifica?" Penny asked.

"That's a lot of 'if's' Penny. Building a colony will take all their efforts. Contacting and transporting one family wouldn't be their top priority," John answered.

"John, if we joined Eden Advance, you'd also be relinquishing your authority. You lead our group. You make the decisions. Do you think that Adair woman is going to have the same priorities?" Don protested.

"Don!" Judy objected.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. We don't know these people. They might have very different ideas than we do," Don insisted.

"I disagree. They've gone out of their way to help us. They're trying to forge a peaceful relationship with the native population. They love their children and make sacrifices for them, just as we do," John stated.

"It may not matter anyway. Smith keeping that rock for himself certainly didn't make a good impression. This discussion could be pointless," Don said.

XXXXXXXXX

"What do you think? Are you going to join us?" Walman and Judy were sitting on the ground on the outskirts of the Eden Advance camp in the shade provided by the TransRover, their largest vehicle.

"It's not my decision to make."

"What do you mean? How old are you Judy – twenty one?"

"Almost twenty –two," she corrected.

"Isn't that old enough to be making your own decisions? You're an adult. You don't have to do what your father wants."

She hadn't thought of it that way. "Well, your invitation isn't official anyway – is it?" she reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. It's not because of you or your family. Smith is the biggest drawback. People see him as a liability."

"We can't leave him behind. That would be cruel. He wouldn't survive," Judy protested.

"Maybe you can join us."

"What?" she gasped.

"Just you."

Was that something she was willing to consider? Days ago when they'd first encountered Eden Advance, she would've jumped at the opportunity. It wasn't that she didn't love her family but life had become so monotonous. She was hungry for new faces, new ideas, new anything, desperate to escape the sameness, the mind numbing boredom. She'd welcomed the change that new people brought, infusing her with strange ideas and ways of thinking.

"Why do you put up Smith's behavior? Look at all the trouble he's caused for your family. Why was he included in your party in the first place?"

She shrugged. "He was trapped on board at launch. He revived us about five hours after blast off so Don could steer us around an uncharted meteor storm. If he hadn't, we all would've been killed."

Walman nodded. "Isn't there more to this story?"

She'd been omitting details, dreading his reaction. She didn't want to jeopardize the chance to join their group. Yet it was going to come out eventually.

"A few hours after launching, for some reason, the Robot went berserk and started to destroy the ship. With the damaged equipment and being set off course, we were hopelessly lost in space."

Walman took a breath and patiently pointed out, "Judy, you do know that robots only do what they're programmed to do."

"It was an accident," she claimed.

"Really?" Walman was not convinced.

Even though she denied it, she knew he was right. She'd blotted it out and smoothed it over to make the memory more tolerable. Dr. Smith had deliberately and intentionally tried to kill them all by programming the Robot to sabotage the Jupiter 2. Was she being childish, ignoring such events? Acting as if they didn't matter? Was she being as naïve as Don had repeatedly accused?

Yet Dr. Smith was no longer the same man that had been trapped on board the Jupiter 2 at launch. He hadn't known them when he'd set out to destroy them. Presumably he'd been motivated by material gain. Maybe he'd been in a bad situation and felt as if he'd had no choice.

There was more to him. Over the years they'd learned that he could be kind and quite funny. He'd formed a special bond with her brother Will. He was just…weak.

"How can you forgive him?" Walman asked.

Something about those words sounded familiar.

He continued, "These aren't little mistakes. Even recently, he fooled around with your ship, causing you to crash on this planet where you might never be able to lift off again. Imagine if it had been a different planet. One uninhabited or nearly devoid of life. Then him keeping that sunstone could've caused trouble with the Terrians for both of our groups. It's not right."

"I know. But he's still a human being." She was becoming more insistent.

"One that doesn't seem to be trying to improve."

Offended, Judy responded, "You don't just dump people in the middle of the wilderness."

He considered her point. "That's true. But this isn't civilized society. It's about surviving. If he endangers our group, there won't be any one left to form society. Look, I'm not saying we should lock Smith up or do anything drastic, but the safety of the group has got to come first."

"How does your group deal with people who don't do what they want?"

Walman paused a moment. Then he explained, "Several months ago, we discovered that Julia was a spy."

"Julia?" She would never have suspected such a thing.

"She refused to reveal her contact information, though we were fairly sure she was working for the Council. She had already done some questionable things. Our safety was at risk. We left some supplies and a tent then left her behind."

Horrified, Judy gasped, "What? I don't understand. How could you? Julia's part of the group."

"Not at that point. The Council had already planted a bomb on our ship at launch and sabotaged the cargo release circuit, causing us to crash. We had no idea what Julia was capable of doing.

"Alonzo was feeling badly so he went back for her. And we would've left the two of them on their own if she hadn't helped us out with the Z.E.D. and proven that we could trust her.

"I haven't seen such a reformation with Smith. You haven't either."

He wasn't even giving the man a chance. She was astounded to realize that he sounded just like Don. Had she been attracted to essentially the same type of man? On the surface, both were in excellent physical shape, muscular with shortly cropped hair. Both men were adept with firearms and quick to draw a weapon. Both Don and Mark were gallant when treating her. Both were not as tolerate towards weakness and were highly suspicious of other races.

Maybe Walman wasn't her knight in shining armor – the answer to all of her prayers, the one to take her away from her dreary existence. As her mother had repeatedly mentioned, it was finally sinking in that life with Eden Advance might even prove to be rougher than that with her family at the spaceship.

Would she be trading one set of problems for another?

Or did the setting really make a difference?

Instead of expecting a man to rescue her, maybe she needed to face reality on her own terms. If life was boring and unfulfilling, what could _she_ do to imbue it with more significance?

This morning after their rather heated breakfast discussion, Don had pulled her aside to ask her on a VR date, whatever that meant. The way he'd been behaving, she'd wanted nothing to do with him. She was sure that he'd try to convince her to stay with the Jupiter and the same humdrum life. Now she was thinking that maybe she should give him a chance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Don slammed a wrench on the floor of the space ship. He was lying on his side on the ground beside the astrogator trying to retrofit a part that Danziger had supplied.

"Any luck?" Danziger asked.

"I thought I could get it to work," Don muttered, more to himself.

"It sounded like a good plan."

Don sat up and deliberately slammed another tool on the ground. When would this nightmare be over? He'd always been able to fix the ship. This had to work. The alternative was too painful to consider. He took a deep breath, so frustrated he was nearly shaking.

Danziger crouched down beside him. "You know, life's given me a lot of bad turns too. At least half of us in Eden Advance weren't supposed to land on this planet. Drop cargo and head back home. The pay was too good to resist. Not that I'm a greedy guy, but inherited debt laws can destroy your future. I'm still paying off my grandparents' passage to the Stations. I'll be damned if that happens to my kid."

It terrified Don to think of Earth in such foreign terms. The members of Eden Advance only confirmed that his home was gone - forever. There was no longer any glimmer of hope of finding their Earth or Alpha Centauri.

Realizing he was digressing, Danziger continued, "Anyway, being stranded on this planet certainly wasn't part of the plan. But…it might not be that bad after all. The Stations pigeon hole everyone. Once a drone, always a drone. No matter what I did or True would do, we'd both always be stuck in dead end jobs, scrambling just to get by. But here…it's different. A man is judged more by what he does as opposed to who he's related to. It seems like he's got a fighting chance. New Pacifica might have better opportunities for True and I."

Don merely grumbled, trying to contain his temper. He recognized a thinly disguised pep talk when he heard it. Not that he didn't appreciate the effort. He was having trouble gracefully accepting that he was losing his girl and the world as he once knew it.

"It's best not to dwell on bad luck. It tends to multiple. Do the best you can with what you have," Danziger advised.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Don and Judy walked side by side toward the pond. They were accompanied by the Robot and a mechanized Zero unit from the Eden Advance camp. Neither had been overly talkative, sensing there were many sensitive issues they'd need to broach.

The Robot attempted to engage Zero in conversation. "What type of a unit are you?"

"I am a Zero Unit programmed to help build New Pacifica," the unit replied in a bland even voice. In form, he resembled a human being yet his extremities appeared to be covered in white body armor. He moved stiffly.

"How do you like this planet?" the Robot asked.

Not getting a response, he asked, "What do you know about these Terrians?"

"I am not programmed for conversation," Zero blandly responded. "I am here to help build New Pacifica. I have many attachments. Unfortunately, most were stolen."

Don and Judy couldn't help but chuckle at the marked differences between the two units. So much for technological advances.

They stopped in a clearing that was nicely shaded by several large trees. The rustle of water from the nearby stream could be heard. Wildflowers dotted the hillside.

"So what do we do on this VR date?" Judy asked.

Don handed her a gear set. He helped her put it on then placed a set on his own head. "Flip this piece in front of your eyes. Then extend it so it covers both of your eyes."

"It's hard to see. Is this safe? Couldn't we fall into the stream or be surprised by Terrians?"

"That's why I brought the Robot and their zero unit along to make sure we're not disturbed."

After relaying some instructions to the mechanized units, he pressed some buttons on their gear sets and the dark screen before their eyes transformed into a new dimension.

"Oh my," Judy gasped. They were in an elegantly decorated banquet hall. She looked down to see that she was wearing a full length burgundy silk gown with her hair fashionably swept up. Don was equally debanoir in a dark formal suit and black tie. The style of their clothing was reminiscent of the forties back on Earth. A band played jazz music of that era.

"This program was set up for Morgan and Bess' wedding reception. Apparently, he's a big jazz fan. They renewed their vows on this planet. Alonzo thought it would be easier to modify this program rather than come up with something completely new. I hope you like it."

"This is amazing." Judy was still staring at herself and her surroundings. "It feels so real."

The black and white tiled dance floor was filled with couples clad in similar formal wear. Waiters trotted about with trays of champagne filled glasses.

Don offered her his arm. "Would you like to dance first or have dinner?"

Judy giggled. "I'm starving."

"Me too." He escorted her to an alcove where they were seated at a table for two. A waiter handed them menus.

"Hmm…Are you sure this place is within our budget?" she joked.

"Order anything you want," Don answered, feeling lighter already.

"I'll have the salmon, please," she told the waiter.

"I'll have a steak – rare. Could you bring us one of your best wines too?"

The waiter complied.

After their glasses were filled with wine, Don and Judy clinked them together before sipping from them.

"This is fun!" Judy squealed.

"Isn't it amazing? I know it's not real but it feels so believable. Even the food. Your mind provides the sensations and flavors. It's incredible. Of course you're hungry later."

"I feel giddy, like I'm really drinking wine. The silk of this dress feels so soft against my skin. Even the air smells a bit smoky. It's so convincing."

They managed to stick to small talk and even some light flirting during their dinner, something they hadn't done in a very long time.

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Judy asked, "Can we order dessert?"

"Of course." Don beckoned the waiter who produced a slice of triple decker chocolate layer cake for them to share.

"This may sound silly but I didn't realize how much I missed this," Judy said.

"This?" He gestured to their surroundings.

"Normal life. On Earth. Eating in a fancy restaurant. Eating in any restaurant, for that matter. Listening to live music. Dressing up in totally impractical clothes. Look at these shoes." She lifted a foot clad in a delicate sandal. "They wouldn't last a day on this planet."

"It is nice." He thought about reaching for her hand. It had been part of his original plan, but he decided not to push his luck.

He found himself agreeing with Judy. Not that he missed formal wear. His neck was already chaffing, unused to the tight collar.

After finishing dessert, the two returned to the main hall.

Judy pulled him out on the floor.

Don apologized, "Don't laugh too hard, Judy. I'm not much of a dancer. I hope you're not disappointed."

"I'm sure you'll be fine,' she smiled, continuing to tug his hand.

They began to glide about the room, following the lead of the others about them. Judy encouraged him, "See, you're doing a great job."

Later, during a slower number, he pulled her closer and she put her head against his chest. Moving rhythmically to the music, she cautiously broached reality.

"Why have you been so angry, Don?"

He'd been wondering about that himself. In fact, he'd spent some time thinking about it after he realized that the astrogator would never be repaired. He didn't particularly want to talk about it but he sensed his relationship with Judy was at a critical junction. Honesty was the best way to go.

"I've failed."

She looked up towards him. "What do you mean?"

"We never reached Alpha Centauri. We never will."

"It wasn't possible."

"It was my job. I was the experienced pilot. And every time we seem to get one small step closer to our goal, Smith messes it up."

Somehow, he wasn't feeling the rage as intensely. Danziger's words had impacted him. Sometimes you need to make the best of things. Otherwise his anger would eat him up. Realistically, what other choice did he have?

"Don't be ridiculous. Doctor Smith was on board and threw off our navigational system. What could you do about that?"

"It doesn't matter. It was still my fault."

"Do you think Dad's a failure too?"

"Of course not," he rapidly responded.

"Why is it okay for him to make mistakes but not for you?"

He didn't know how to answer that.

"I know it's frustrating. But life goes on, regardless. Remember what Alonzo told us about himself that night at dinner? First and foremost, he saw himself as a pilot. It was killing him being on the ground. But he's managed to adapt."

Don nodded, remembering.

"Judy, we're not going to be able to fix the astrogator. We're going to have to make a choice."

Originally this was the point at which he was going to convince her that staying with him at the ship was the only option. He'd planned to lay on the compliments and sweep her off her feet. He'd wanted nothing to do with Eden Advance, especially Mark Walman. If he could get that man out of the picture, life might return to normal.

Yet that no longer seemed like the only option. He was enjoying their date immensely. In addition to being with Judy, it was wonderful to be in a different setting – to enjoy the finer accoutrements of civilized living. He didn't realize that he'd missed it too. Perhaps, with over two hundred fifty families, they could begin to rebuild these trimmings that had such impact on their lives.

He'd painstakingly rehearsed what he wanted to say. It was killing him not knowing where he stood with her. He wanted her to make a choice now to end his misery. But just now, he realized that wasn't necessarily the best option. The date had relaxed him and helped him put things into better perspective

"Judy, I know I want to be with you. I have no doubts about that. When I thought you'd died…it nearly killed me. But…I want… I need you to be sure. If you need to spend time with Walman…do what you have to do. I won't hold it against you. I don't want to be the default choice or the only choice. I want you to want to be with me as much as I want to be with you."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

John Robinson looked up from his papers. "How was your date?"

He hadn't played the role of overprotective father in a while. He'd grown to think of Don more as his colleague rather than Judy's suitor. The fact that his daughter had entered the space ship, escorted by the Robot almost an hour earlier had concerned him. Yet she'd been in good spirits. Although he'd never say it aloud, he was rooting for Major West. He hoped Judy's good sense would prevail. Don had proven himself over and over again, while they knew little about Walman.

John was encouraged that Don seemed calmer than he'd been in days.

"Good. John, that VR technology is incredible. I've never seen anything like it. You've got to try it out." He sat opposite him at the galley table. "Come to any decisions?"

It was hard for him to say, knowing Don's feelings. But it was for the best.

"I know you disagree, but Maureen and I would like to join Eden Advance. It's a chance to form a colony with other humans. Essentially it's as close as we can get to our original mission parameters.

"Don, I know you're not a member of our family but after three years together, I consider you to be one. We'd love for you to come with us, but we…I understand if you need to choose differently," John said, anticipating a backlash.

"Sure," Don replied, strangely lacking hostility. "But isn't there still an issue with Smith? Aren't you concerned that they'll want us to leave him behind?"

"That's right. Maureen would never stand for it."

"We need a bargaining chip."

John had been working through the details that evening, writing the facts out on paper. It seemed a circular argument. While the Robinsons could provide an additional vehicle, most likely the Chariot would be used to carry most of their supplies. Their most useful equipment such as the aquafier, the hydroponic garden, or force field generator tended to be large or associated implicitly with the space ship so they'd be unable to bring those along.

While John was aware that the Robot was an invaluable asset, due to his primitive nature, the Eden Advance members had trouble seeing past that. Perhaps he could argue that the Robot's input was key in cracking the Lunite code and solving the situation with the Dream Plane?

Then again, if Dr. Smith had returned all of the rocks when Will had, it might never have become an issue.

It wasn't looking promising. Given the condition of their navigational system, John supposed they'd be marooned on this planet for the rest of their lives. However he was an optimist at heart. Whatever happened, they'd make the best of it

Perhaps he could convince Eden Advance to contact them once they'd become established and had access to aircraft? That might offer a spark of hope for the children and their future.

"We don't have anything," John admitted.

Don thought a minute and then grinned, the first real smile John had seen since they'd crashed onto this planet.

"Yes we do."

John's eyebrows rose.

"The Space Pod."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **The Robinsons attempt to make a deal with Eden Advance. Background info and photos for both shows are posted on my LJ. PM me and I'd be happy to send links. It's been fun writing this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I'd love to hear from you.

**Chapter 10**

(Morgan Martin)

_At that point, I was sick of hearing about the Robinsons. I didn't care if they were from a different universe. They were weird and I wanted nothing to do with them. What was Danziger thinking? Of all people_, _he was the one to extend this insane invitation to a bunch of mentally imbalanced individuals? Whatever happened to the sanctimonious 'the group has to vote on it'? Even Bess, my rock, the one person who was always supposed to support me, seemed to welcome this madness._

_How would having the Robinsons join the group help us? Compared to them, we were the experts about the mysteries of Planet G889. They weren't even familiar with our simplest technology. They'd never heard of VR. Their equipment was archaic, essentially useless to us. Look at that ancient robot lumbering about. According to their stories, the old guy must've tried to trade it for food a dozen times. Who would've wanted that relic in the first place?_

_What was even worse was as our camp discussed the issue, the question had gradually changed. No longer was it a matter of "Should we invite the Robinsons to join us?" Now the operative question was"Should this invitation include Doctor Smith?" Was I the only sane one among us?_

_That guy was a trouble maker. Look what he did with that piece of Morganite..er..sunstone. Major West was a hot-head waiting to explode. I didn't want to be around for that. Walman's face would most certainly be rearranged. I didn't see how any good could come from this._

_I wasn't the only one who had objections about proper protocol not being followed. While some were amazed by how the Robinsons helped repair the Dream Plane, Doctor Smith's behavior had created an equally poor impression. Frustration was simmering within the group. Even casual conversations on the matter tended to end up in shouting matches. Although we had yet to locate a route through the mountains, this needed to be resolved. Soon. Otherwise we'd tear each other apart._

Day 260

"We have to be able to discuss this without shouting at one another!" Devon yelled over the din of voices. The members of Eden Advance had gathered about the evening camp fire to discuss the Robinsons.

"Why don't we take a vote?" Yale diplomatically suggested.

"Mazatl and Cameron are still on the scouting trip," Magus pointed out.

"I know. I'm sorry but we can't put this off any longer," Devon answered. "Okay, the issue is the Robinsons." She moved towards the center of the group. "Many of you have already mentioned ways in which you believe they'll be an asset to the group. We've already seen Will and their robot repair the Dream Plane. As Alonzo mentioned, since they've had more experience living on planets than we have, they have more practical knowledge in that respect as well."

"We already know this," Morgan complained.

"Let her summarize without interrupting," Yale admonished.

"Our biggest concern is Doctor Smith. Some of you have heard stories about his exploits and the trouble he's caused for the Robinsons in the past. Whether these are true or not, he's already shown us his true colors when he purposely withheld a sunstone. This type of selfish reckless behavior could endanger our group and possibly damage our relationship with the Terrians. With that in mind, do we want to invite the Robinsons to join us with, or without, Doctor Smith?"

She took a breath and then cautioned, "Think hard about your choice. I'll give you a moment before we vote."

Devon wasn't sure how to vote. She wasn't used to being indecisive. She blamed it partially on her lingering illness. She could see both sides of the issue. It seemed inhumane to ask them to leave a man behind, especially one as incompetent as Dr. Smith. Maureen Robinson's words about the quality of mercy haunted her. Devon couldn't believe that she was seriously entertaining such a notion. But it would be far worse if he ruined their relationship with the Terrians or caused Uly to fall ill again.

"All in favor of including Doctor Smith," Devon asked.

Alonzo, Danziger, Yale, Bess, and Walman raised their hands.

"What are you doing?" Baines glared at his buddy Walman.

"She won't come without him," Walman answered.

"Last call." Devon said, hoping more hands would rise. She couldn't bring herself to decide.

"All opposed."

Baines' hand shot up in the air, followed by Morgan and Magus. A moment later, Denner's rose. Julia slowly raised her hand.

"Can't I vote?" True tugged on her dad's shoulder.

"No True, girl. Adults only, "Danziger replied.

"It's a tie," Devon stated. "Have we been able to contact Cameron and Mazatl to get their input?" Maybe their votes would resolve the situation.

"No," Magus answered. "They're out of gear range."

"It's not a tie." Yale astutely pointed out. "Devon, you're the deciding vote."

All eyes were fixed upon her.

"So, what's it gonna be?" Baines asked.

When she closed her eyes she saw the faces of two hundred fifty syndrome children. She'd met most of them along with their parents back on the Stations. She couldn't let them down.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Day 261

It was early but Devon couldn't sleep. Last night's decision weighed heavily on her. She'd hoped she'd feel better in the morning. She'd had experience with these types of issues – where there wasn't a clear cut answer. You made your decision and then moved on.

So why did she still feel so awful?

She took a bowl of something resembling oatmeal from Bess and then noticed Danziger seated by the fire pit. Her initial impulse was to avoid him. She'd seen the disappointment in his expression last night. She was ashamed that it bothered her. Why should it matter what John Danziger thought? But…over the months as she'd grown to know him, his opinions mattered greatly to her.

She sat down beside him. "Good morning."

He nodded.

"I didn't want to do it."

He didn't look at her.

"I had to do it. Don't you see? I couldn't take that risk. There's too much at stake."

He rose. "Keep telling yourself that." He left.

She pushed the unappealing mush about her bowl, going through the motions of eating.

A little later a delicious smell filled the air. In disbelief, Devon looked toward their food preparation area but nothing new had been added to those offerings. A voice caught her attention.

"Good morning," Maureen Robinson called brightly, carrying a container towards her. "I brought some rolls I made this morning. I hope you don't mind." She placed the box by Devon. The robot brought another larger box, from which similar mouth watering odors emanated. Even though it was still early in the morning, tent flaps were being pulled back in response.

Julia sidled over, examining the food. "What's this made from? How do you know this is edible?"

"Trial and error, I suppose." Maureen replied. She showed Julia a sample of the plant she'd used. "We've eaten these before."

"My scanners have never registered any edible parts for those plants."

"Maybe since you've lived off Earth for a while, or since Earth's biosystems have changed so radically, your scanners aren't calibrated to recognize this," Maureen suggested.

A crowd had eagerly gathered about the boxes, people helping themselves to rolls.

"There's plenty for everyone. Help yourselves," Maureen invited.

Devon was afraid to ask, noticing most of the Robinson crew had accompanied Maureen. "What brings your family here?"

"We have something we want to discuss," John Robinson proposed cheerfully.

A sinking feeling arose in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't looking forward to this discussion. But she had never been one to shirk her duties.

Devon gestured to the rocks by the communal fire pit.

"Thanks but we'll stand." John looked towards the sky.

"I presume you want to talk about the possibility of joining our group," Devon asked.

"That's right," John responded.

Devon took a breath. "I'm afraid –"

Baines raced towards the group. "Devon, you're not gonna believe this!"

"What?" Then she saw it. A small aircraft hovered above them. It wasn't any design that she'd ever seen. Rather than shaped as a space shuttle, it resembled a squat unit. It grew closer, preparing to land near the edge of their camp.

"Oh my god! What is it? Can you contact them? Could it be the Council?"

Several months ago, Julia had been in VR contact with Councilman Reilly. Had he been merely a projection created by Eve, the supercomputer that orbited G889 or was there a flesh and blood version of him on the planet's surface? Was he going to carry out his threat to take her son so he could use him to dominate this planet?

Danziger, Baines and Walman reached for MagPros.

"Don't be concerned on that account. It's Don, flying our Space Pod." John Robinson grinned.

"You have an aircraft?" Devon exclaimed.

"We were so focused on fixing the ship, we forgot about it. Let's go greet him."

The group rushed over to the pod as it landed. The hatch opened.

"Good morning." Don poked his head out the door, in high spirits. The craft was small, but it could hold at least four passengers and limited cargo.

Suddenly the weight on Devon's shoulders felt lighter. She was so excited she didn't know what to say.

Pulling Devon aside, Yale eagerly mentioned. "Do you realize what this means? With this pod, we could easily scout for food and water. We could locate the best route for the vehicles in hours rather than days."

"Now, the Pod isn't able leave the planet's atmosphere and it's certainly not big enough to transport everyone to New Pacifica, but it could be very useful. Maybe we could even locate some of your lost cargo pods. We'd be happy to let your group use it, provided we could _all_ accompany you." John Robinson bargained.

Devon recognized a sales pitch when she heard it. The thought of having access to an aircraft was exhilarating.

"What's the fuel source?" Danziger asked.

"We've already refined several canisters of deutronium. Not enough for the Jupiter 2 to lift off, but it's more than sufficient for the Pod to make multiple runs. We could also bring our drilling equipment along in the Chariot to replenish supplies as needed," John answered. Turning to Devon he asked, "What do you say?"

Devon opened her mouth to immediately say yes, but then she looked toward the others. She caught Baines' eye, the most vocal objector.

"This could cut months off our travel time," Baines responded.

"That's right," Danziger grinned. "What do you think?'

"Let's do it," Baines agreed.

"But, don't we need to vote on it?" Devon asked, concerned about respecting the opinions of all the group members.

Baines looked toward Magus, who nodded in response. "It's safe to say that at least two of us have changed our votes."

"John Robinson, let me be the first to welcome you to Eden Advance." Devon shook his hand.

"How about we organize a mission to use the Pod to scout out a trail through the mountains? Who wants to join me?" Don asked.

Several hands shot up in response.

XXXXXXX

Day 263

Danziger sat on the ground by his daughter. "What's with you, True?"

Several days had passed since the Robinsons had been invited to join the group. Danziger and Yale had spent a lot of time helping them decide what to bring along on the journey while Alonzo and Baines assisted Don, using the pod to scout out a viable passage for the next leg of the trip.

She continued to draw on the dirt with a stick. "Nothing." She was dreading the Robinsons joining them. She was tired of sharing her father with others.

"C'mon…let's hear it."

She sat up to look at him. "I don't like the Robinsons. They look funny and Penny acts like she's better than we are."

"True," he warned. "All I'm asking you to do is try. This situation will be what you make it. If you make an effort, you could have some friends. If not…well, it's up to you."

"I suppose they're gonna bring that stupid robot along."

"It's important to them," Danziger shrugged.

"I still don't see why you wanted them to join us so much," she sulked.

"They're good people." He patted her on the back and rose.

Will Robinson walked by. "Hi Danziger. My mom would like True to come to our campsite sometime soon."

It irked True that Will didn't speak directly with her. She was sitting right there! What was his problem?

"Sure." Danziger tugged at True's shoulder.

"Do I have to?" she complained in muffled tones.

"Yup. Run along."

She rose, dragging her feet.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hello?" True tentatively stepped inside the Jupiter 2 space ship.

"I'm down here," Maureen called from the galley below.

True took the elevator down to that level. Maureen was by a large machine on the lab counter, surrounded by clothing.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making us some new clothes. With more walking and exposure to the weather, we'll need more versatile fatigues," Maureen answered.

True nodded, wondering what bizarre combinations the woman would come up with this time.

Maureen smiled. "I hope you don't mind. I couldn't help but notice that you're growing so fast that your clothes are getting small."

"They're fine." She snapped.

Since she was thin, her clothing would always be baggy. The fabric for her overalls had holes worn in the knees. Even the patches had worn out. She had no idea what the original color had been other than a dull brown. Her T-shirt beneath was functional at best, the color leached out of it long ago. But at least her clothing was functional compared with the Robinson women.

"I can tell your father loves you very much. But sometimes dads aren't as observant about these things. I thought you might like a new outfit."

True's cheeks' flushed, horrified by what Mrs. Robinson might have designed for her. Would it be hot pink or bright orange and extra clingy? God forbid she include a pair of those awful purple or green boots that her daughters wore. Or worse yet, would it be one of Penny's cast offs? She didn't think she could bear that. Eden Advance's clothing selection was limited to what they could find in Grendler stashes and cargo pods yet they'd have to be better than this. Maybe she could stash the outfit in the bushes on the way back to camp and then deny any knowledge of it.

Prepared to despise it, she steeled herself while Maureen held it up. It was a sky blue T-shirt with a modest scoop neck, with a set of overalls in a lighter complementary tan.

"Look, you can unzip the knees in hotter weather to make shorts," she demonstrated. "I thought the blue would look nice with your eyes. I made a turtleneck in the same color for cooler weather."

Overwhelmed with emotion, True merely nodded. It was really nice. The outfit was similar in style to the clothing she was currently wearing, yet it appeared to be designed to fit her better with improved fabric as well. Then she remembered her manners. "Thanks."

"I was tempted to offer you some of Penny's old clothes but I thought you'd prefer something new. You know, just a few years ago, Penny looked just like you."

Unable to stop herself, she replied, "She did?"

"Uh-huh. Tall and thin as a rail. Just you wait and see the difference a year or two makes."

A hint of a grin formed on the girl.

"Why don't you go try it on? See if we need to make any more adjustments. After that, I improvised and tried a recipe for fudge with some native substitutes. It's not close to the original but it's sweet and I thought you kids might enjoy it."

"Sure."

Maybe the Robinsons wouldn't be so bad after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Day 264

"Need help with that?" Walman asked.

Judy looked up from the hydroponic garden. "Not yet. I'm just harvesting all that we can since we're leaving tomorrow. But you could help me dismantle it afterwards to store in the ship."

Ever since they'd voted to bring the Robinsons along, Walman had been excited. Judy was going to be part of their group. They could walk together during the day. He longed to ask her to share a tent with her, but that would be moving too fast. He sensed that she was rather conservative when it came to those issues. He was a patient man, he could wait.

He'd never meet any one like Judy. There was a certain innocence and freshness to her that he found incredibly attractive. In some ways her naïveté frustrated him but in others, it was very appealing.

He reached over to hold her hand, but she pulled it out of reach.

Had he done something wrong?

"What's going on?'

"Nothing."

She wasn't meeting his eyes. That wasn't like her.

"It's just…there's too much happening right now. There've been so many changes. I'm not ready to make this choice. I like you, but I like Don too. I'd like the chance to get to know you better. I also need to get to know this world better and my place in it. Can we take it slow?"

That wasn't quite what he wanted to hear but at least he was still in the running and that was what really counted. The fact that Don was running so many missions in the pod was certainly to his advantage.

"Okay. Wanna walk with me tomorrow?"

"Sometime, yes. But I'd like to start walking with Bess. I've been curious to hear about her version of growing up on Earth."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Day 265

It was a familiar sight for the members of Eden Advance. During the course of their travels, setting up and striking camp had become automatic functions that could practically be done in their sleep. Everyone knew their jobs and went about them. Most of the tents had been struck and packed, most people wanting to get some traveling under their belt during the coolest part of the day. Only Morgan and Bess's tent remained standing, they were always a little behind. Magus, Baines and Cameron supervised loading and securing of cargo on the TransRover. Danziger and True performed last minute checks on their vehicles – the ATV, a small vehicle equipped to carry a single person, the Dune Rail, which could carry up to three people after cargo was stowed on it, and the TransRover, a former mining vehicle which carried the brunt of Eden Advance's cargo.

Today, a new vehicle joined their caravan. The Robinson's Chariot was filled with supplies and ready to go. Unfortunately, much of their more useful equipment had to be left behind. However, they had been able to include the drilling and fuel refinement gear, along with the robot, the aquafier and the jetpack. Everyone in the group was armed, thanks to the Robinson's supply of laser pistols and rifles. The Robinsons milled about, wearing their new, more practical fatigues featuring subtle shades of green, brown and gold. The girls wore pants and T-shirts rather than mini-dresses. Their feet were clad in rugged, practical brown boots.

Finally, they were just about ready to roll.

Danziger nudged True who stalked over to Penny.

"Dad says if we walk most of the morning that we can ride in the TransRover and play a VR game later. You and Will wanna join us?"

Penny looked to her mother, who nodded with encouragement. "Okay."

Maybe once the Robinsons got dirty, they'd start to blend in more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Danziger noticed Dr. Smith eyeing the TransRover bed. The older man jumped when he touched him on the shoulder. "You wouldn't be thinking of riding now, would you?"

"But I'm old. I'm frail. I can't handle this."

Danziger would book no loafing. "You're not that old. If Martin can do his share, so can you."

"Please sir. My poor aching back. I can't be expected to walk. I can't be expected to carry such a heavy pack. It wouldn't be humane." He stared at the backpack, still resting on the ground by his feet.

"Julia will take a look at your back tonight. You'll be as good as new for the trail." He clamped him on the back much harder than necessary. "A little exercise will be good for you."

"What about the Robot? I'll need to keep him company in the Chariot." Smith explained. "Traveling is upsetting to the silly ninny."

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

Then Danziger got distracted. "Adair, get into that TransRover! You are not walking!" He hurried over to her.

Dr. Smith snorted. "A man of my stature treated as a beast of burden. I think not."

When Danziger was out of eye sight, Dr. Smith quickly stashed his backpack on the bed of the TransRover. Then he started to walk with the rest.

"The indignities one must endure on this abysmal planet. Oh the pain, the pain."

(Maureen Robinson)

_Today we've started a new journey. We are now part of Eden Advance joining them in their trek across this continent to New Pacifica. It's a new chapter in our lives. In many ways we are sad to leave our old world. This new one seems far more hostile and dangerous. But we have no idea how to return to our home. This is a definitive step in a new direction. In some ways, it's exciting to integrate into a new society. Don has already moved ahead, leading a new expedition in the Space Pod to search for more of Eden Advances' missing cargo pods. Judy is making an effort to get to know all the members of Eden Advance. Even the children are walking together._

_It was difficult to leave our space ship, the Jupiter 2. It had been our home for so many years. Danziger and Alonzo felt it was secure enough to withstand Grendlers. I'd like to think that in the future we could return to this site and pay homage to this ship that sustained our lives for so long. No longer lost in space, Planet G889 will become our new home._

_What will the future hold for us? There are no guarantees. What if the Council causes more trouble? What if they sabotage the Colony ship the same way they did with the Advance ship? What if we encounter penal colonists? What about the natives of this planet? While the members of Eden Advance seem comfortable with the Terrians, it will take me a while to feel the same._

_Of course other factors such as hunger, exposure or disease could easily wipe out our group before we reach New Pacifica. And those subtle biological differences due to our being from an alternative universe could rear their ugly head too._

_Then there's always the human factor. What if our groups really are too different? What if it turns out that we have very different goals than the members of Eden Advance? There's already plenty of tension between Walman and Don. While Don spending most of his time flying the Pod has helped diffuse the situation, the tension will inevitably crop up again. Eventually Judy will have to decide between the two men. _

_What if, or I should say, how will Doctor Smith get himself into trouble on this new world? How will Eden Advance react to that?_

_Despite all these unknowns, we've started an exciting new adventure._

**THE END** (?)

(Any one interested in a sequel? Let me know. It might be fun having Walman and Don fighting over Judy. And what might they learn about G889 using the Space Pod?)


End file.
